GAINESVILLE, Va. - A dozen American players took turns telling stories about their captain, Jack Nicklaus, before the team meeting turned emotional as they looked ahead to the final round. More than anything, they wanted golf's greatest champion to go out a winner at the Presidents Cup.
When it was over, Nicklaus saw a greater victory.
"I don't know why in the world they want to care about winning one for an old man," the 65-year-old Nicklaus said. "They need to win one for themselves. American golf has not won in international competition for a few years. And they proved that they are pretty good."
Since they lasted hoisted a trophy that belonged only to them, at the Presidents Cup five years ago, the U.S. teams have featured 11 major champions and gaudy world rankings that did them little good.
They were narrowly beaten by the Europeans at The Belfry and pounded by them at Oakland Hills in the Ryder Cup. In between, they had to rally in South Africa to scratch out a tie against the Internationals in the last Presidents Cup.
This one looked as though it might not determine a winner, either.
Phil Mickelson trailed by one as he stood on the 18th tee. Chris DiMarco was one behind as he walked up the 17th fairway in the final match. If both lost their matches, the Presidents Cup would end in another tie.
But this team learned to finish strong, and Nicklaus could not have been more proud.
Mickelson's wedge spun back toward the cup and settled 4 feet away for a birdie that sent his match against Angel Cabrera to extra holes. DiMarco squared his match with Stuart Appleby, but again was on the ropes with a tee shot that left him a difficult approach - his feet in bunker, the ball nestled in the rough above.
"The lie wasn't bad, it was the stance that was not real good," DiMarco said. "I tried to stay real still and hit a good, solid shot and get right of the hole and give me a putt at it, at least have a chance. And it came out perfect."
His 9-iron settled 15 feet to the right of the cup to set up one of the most dramatic putts in these competitions.
It was the first time in the Presidents Cup - or in the 77-year history of the Ryder Cup, for that matter - that a player from the last match in the lineup made a birdie putt on the 18th hole to win the cup.
"Jack's the best, the best of all time, and to make that putt for him is what it's all about," DiMarco said. "We wanted to get a win for him so much. Last night, we had a great, emotional dinner. Everybody got up and talked, and I think everybody said they wanted to go out and win this for Jack. And to do that is unbelievable."
For Nicklaus, it brought back memories of another captaincy.
He brought the Ryder Cup to his home course at Muirfield Village in 1987, only to see the Americans lose on home soil for the first time. Europe built a formidable lead in team matches, 10 1/2-5 1/2, by closing strong. Of the six matches that reached the 18th hole, Europe won five and halved the other.
"I had good guys, good players, but they never won the 18th hole," Nicklaus said. "The 18th hole this week won us the matches. You've got to be able to play the last hole and finish the event, and believe in yourself, and believe that when you get to the next level as an individual, that you can do it again.
"That's why I'm so happy about it," he said. "It really elevated every one of these guys so that the next time out, they will believe in what they can do."
The Americans were clutch on the 18th hole at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club - not just on Sunday, but all week. They never lost on the final hole, going 5-0-7 in the matches that went the distance.
But what mattered was the final day.
Fred Couples never showed so much energy when his 20-foot birdie putt fell for a 1-up victory over Vijay Singh, which assured at least a tie for the Americans. He dropped his putter and stretched out his arms, screaming to the skies as the roars shook through RTJ.
Mickelson thought he had won the cup with his 4-foot birdie, forgetting that under new rules this year, all singles matches went extra holes until one team had enough points to clinch victory.
And then came DiMarco.
He had missed so many clutch putts throughout his career, which might explain why he has only three victories. With a chance to win the PGA Championship last year at Whistling Straits, he left his 18-foot birdie well short.
But as he stood over this important stroke, caddie Pat O'Bryan told him, "This is the moment you've waited for your whole life, so go ahead and do it."
"And you know," DiMarco said, "I did."
Nicklaus believes it will serve him well the next time he finds himself in a pressure situation. DiMarco lost consecutive majors in a playoff, at the PGA Championship and at the Masters in April to Tiger Woods.
"He keeps chipping away at that next level," Nicklaus said. "I would be very, very surprised if he doesn't go right to that next level the next time he's out. I think that everyone of them seems to raise the level of what they do, because they had do. Otherwise, we would not have won."
That could bode well for DiMarco.
And it also raises optimism that the U.S. team will rise the next time they play as a team - one year from now in the Ryder Cup, the prized trophy it has captured only once in the last 12 years.