GOLF SEVE TROPHY: RORY McILROY grabbed the scalp he had craved all week as underdogs Britain and Ireland sent Continental Europe to their fifth successive defeat yesterday.

The 20 year-old, who is expected to make a Ryder Cup debut next year, beat world number five Henrik Stenson on the final green of the Vivendi Trophy in Paris.

And when fellow Ulsterman Graeme McDowell followed that with a 3 and 2 victory over last year’s European number one, Robert Karlsson, back in action after nearly four months out with an eye problem, Paul McGinley’s side had won with seven games still on the course.

It was just as well the necessary points were gained early, though.

Some of Thomas Bjorn’s men finally burst into life, enabling the final scoreline to be 16½-11½ for the third time in a row.

They actually won the singles 6-4, but had been a massive seven down entering them.

Most impressive of all on the day was Dane Anders Hansen, an incredible 10 under par for the 12 holes it took him to demolish Nick Dougherty – three under himself – by 7 and 6, the biggest margin in the event’s short history.

But, almost inevitably, McIlroy was the centre of attention again with his four out of five contribution, the same as McDowell.

“That was the match I wanted all week,” he said.

McIlroy, round in a six-under 65, commented: “I’d be lying if I said my hands weren’t a little shaky over the (five-foot) putt on the last, but it’s been a fantastic week and I’ll be very disappointed if I don’t make the Ryder Cup now.”

Stenson, who finished with only one half-point from five games, came back from two down to one up, fell behind again to a spectacular shot at the 14th and then, at all square with two to play, hooked into the trees and double-bogeyed.

McDowell, out in a six-under 30 and matching McIlroy’s four points out of five, stated: “We played some phenomenal golf and it’s a very sweet victory.”

McGinley was another star of the show in his first attempt at captaincy.

McGinley is hot favourite now to be Europe’s captain at Gleneagles in 2014 on the assumption that Jose Maria Olazabal takes over from Colin Montgomerie for the 2012 match in America.

“I’ve just done what I believe in and what I’ve learned from experience over the years,” he stated.

“I’ve acted on instinct and I’ve been very, very fortunate in the captains I’ve played under.”

There was no forgetting either that the match honoured the career of Seve Ballesteros, too sick to travel after radiotherapy.

“We’ve talked a lot about Seve – I think we really played with his spirit,” added McGinley.