Americans Stumble, but Hang On When Langer’s Putt Won’t Fall : Ryder Cup: By inches, the trophy returns to the U.S. after a 14 1/2-13 1/2 victory over the Europeans.

After three grueling days, six hopeful years and what seemed like a lifetime in three holes of golf, the Ryder Cup returned to the United States Sunday.

Twelve talented American golfers and one clever team captain beat the best of Europe, 14 1/2-13 1/2, to regain the 64-year-old trophy and their status as the best in the world.

It was another dramatic finish to a day of 11 singles matches that caused millionaires to choke, both emotionally and otherwise, and produced enough tears to make waves in the Atlantic, which borders the Ocean Course where the 29th Ryder Cup was played and which received U.S. team captain Dave Stockton, when his players carried him off the 18th green.

“American pride is back,” said Paul Azinger, who, along with Fred Couples, played the best golf of the Americans in the tournament.

After 27 matches over three days of play, the hopes of both teams came down to a six-foot putt that Germany’s Bernhard Langer had to make to win his match against Hale Irwin for the point Europe needed to tie for the Ryder Cup, 14-14. The tie would have allowed Europe to keep possession of the trophy it has held since 1985.

But Langer, who had rallied from two holes down to square the match at the 17th, missed the putt, sending the Europeans back to their trailer and Stockton into the ocean.

“I read the putt left lip, but there were two spike marks between the ball and the hole on that line,” Langer said. “My caddie suggested I hit it left-center firmly, and that’s what I did.

“And that’s why I missed.”

He had sympathy, to a degree, from his opponent.

“I would never wish what happened on 18 on anyone,” Irwin said. “It was a 180-degree turn around in the matter of a six-foot putt. I had a sneaky suspicion going into the match that it would come down to us, because we were in the last group. I did not play well the last few holes, and the pressure you feel extends beyond yourself because you are playing for your country.

“On 10, 11 and 12, I couldn’t breathe or swallow, and making the turn on 14, I could hardly hit the ball.”

Langer was inconsolable when he returned to the players’ team trailer. He has had the yips since he was 14, and he putts grasping his left arm with his right hand to keep it steady. Still, he leads the European tour in putting average.

“Nobody should have that much pressure on him,” European team captain Bernard Gallacher said. “Bernhard is a great player. It wasn’t until Seve (Ballesteros) and Nick (Faldo) and I went over to him in the trailer that he calmed down.

“The guys will remember how hurt they are at the moment in 1993 (at the next Ryder Cup at England’s The Belfry).”

Gallacher said Langer had nothing to be ashamed about.

“He hit a lot of great shots today,” Gallacher said. “It was just unfortunate that he was left with that putt.”

The pressure would have been lessened had Mark Calcavecchia not collapsed after being four holes up on Colin Montgomerie with four to play. Calcavecchia finished with two triple bogeys and two bogeys to halve the match.

He, too, was inconsolable, leaving the course and crying on the beach for a half hour before rejoining this teammates in the gallery to await the outcome.

“I just sat there in the sand and shook my head,” Calcavecchia said. “I just needed to regroup.

“I cried. I lost it, mainly because I thought of the circumstances--that it might cause a loss for those other 11 guys who worked so hard.”

After about 15 minutes on the beach and talking with his wife Sheryl, Calcavecchia came back to the course.

When Langer missed his putt inches to the right, Calcavecchia was in a gallery of thousands that mobbed the green and the U.S. team.

The Americans’ chances looked bleak from the start Sunday. Stockton had to pull Steve Pate out of his match against Seve Ballesteros because Pate was in too much pain to play because of a bruise to an abdominal muscle from a car accident Wednesday night.

Gallacher, prepared for the situation, pulled David Gilford. The pairings were adjusted and Ballesteros was paired against Wayne Levi, who had played poorly in his only other match.

Entering the day with the score tied, 8-8, Europe’s Nick Faldo beat Raymond Floyd 2 up, and David Feherty beat Payne Stewart of the United States, 2 and 1. Montgomerie and Calcavecchia halved, and Ballesteros beat Levi, 3 and 2. The first victory for the United States came when Corey Pavin beat Steven Richardson, 2 and 1.

Then Azinger won the final two holes to beat Jose Maria Olazabal, 2 up. Chip Beck beat Ian Woosnam, 3 and 1, to tie the score at 12-12.

The United States led in three of the four matches still being played. In the match it was losing, Mark O’Meara hit into the water on 17 twice, then conceded to Paul Broadhurst, 3 and 1.

But Couples beat Sam Torrance, 3 and 2 to tie it, 13-13, and an emotionally shaken Lanny Wadkins beat Mark James, 3 and 2, to put the United States ahead, 14-13, with the hopes resting on Irwin, who was 1 up on the tee at the 16th hole.

On the tee of the 16th--a 579-yard, par-five, Langer saved a par from a bunker to halve the hole and keep the match alive.

On the 17th--a 197-yard par-three--Langer saved a par with a five-foot putt and won the hole after Irwin had missed from seven feet.

Irwin ran his putt seven feet by the hole, and Langer sank his to even the match.

On the final hole--a 438-yard par-four--Irwin hooked his drive into the gallery. Langer’s drive was on the fairway. Irwin hit his approach to about 70 feet from the pin in the short right rough, and Langer’s landed nearby but about about 50 feet from the cup.

Irwin chipped poorly, leaving him 20 feet for par. Langer chipped his to within six feet of the hole. Irwin missed his par putt to set up Langer’s opportunity--and his misfortune.