Three months after Martin Kaymer made the putt that clinched the Ryder Cup for the Europeans, Kaymer spoke to the Daily Mail's Derek Lawrenson about what was really on the line -- his career.

"Now I honestly feel like my whole career might have been on the line," he said.

"I sometimes think about what would have happened if I had missed it. Would I have had the mental strength to recover from thinking I had let down a whole continent?"

After losing to Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar on Friday with Justin Rose, Kaymer sat Saturday's matches out.

"I hadn’t played well on Friday and was desperate to show what I could do on Saturday, so you can imagine how I felt when I was told I wasn’t playing," he said.

After trailing American Steve Stricker for the first five holes of his Sunday singles match, Kaymer birdied No. 6 to turn the match around.

"I could see that something huge was potentially unfolding. One, two, three, four points, on I went but I knew we needed at least a point from me, or two half-points from Francesco and me."

"The last three holes were great, the excitement was beautiful. On the 17th I had a four-footer that I had to hole and, when that went in, it gave me a lot of belief."

Leading 1 up, Kaymer made a five-footer on the 18th hole to beat Stricker and ensure that the Europeans would at least retain the cup.

Late-arriving Rory McIlroy celebrates the European Ryder Cip win with a giant clock (ZUMAPRESS.com).

Central Time Zone victim Rory McIlroy showed up just minutes before his Sunday singles match at the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah before coolly dispatching Keegan Bradley 2&1 to help the Europeans secure their miracle comeback.

But if he looked cool on the outside as he arrived at Medinah in a police car, McIlroy was terrified that he had lost the Cup for Europe. McIlroy told the story of that morning in an exclusive interview with Ireland's RTE:

“On the Saturday night, before I went to bed, I was watching the Golf Channel and they posted the tee-times (for Sunday). But they posted them in Eastern time and we were in Central time in Chicago, so 12:35 Eastern is 11:35 in Chicago.

“Next morning I get up and get out of the shower at 11am. I get a phone call from Conor, my manager, and he says ‘Are you at the golf course?’, and I tell him that I’m not.

“He says ‘You should be, you’ve got half an hour to your tee-time’. “And I say ‘No, I’ve got an hour and a half, I’m off at 12:35. He says ‘You’re not. You are off at 11:35’.

“I have never been so scared going to a golf course. It was such a mad rush. Luckily there was a state trooper waiting for me and if it was not for him, if I was not in that car, I would not have made my tee-time.

“I actually played my best golf of the whole week on that Sunday!”

Now you, yes you, can own the police car that rushed Rory McIlroy from his hotel to the course just in time for his match against Keegan Bradley in the final round of the Ryder Cup. The car will reportedly be listed for sale on eBay sometime in January.

The unmarked 2005 Ford Crown Victoria is being listed using the auction website by the Village of Lombard because of the amount of attention it has received following the swift actions of Rory's driver, deputy chief Pat Rollins, according to the Daily Herald's Marie Wilson.

"Since it's drawing so much attention," Village Manager David Hulseberg said in October, "we figure we have nothing to lose by putting it out there for any European or anyone who would like to buy the car and do whatever they would like with it."

"Anything above and beyond what we normally receive for a police vehicle of its kind would be a bonus to the village and the taxpayers," [Carl] Goldsmith said.

After confusion about the time difference, McIlroy arrived at the course a mere 11 minutes before his match. Without warming up, the Irishman went on to beat Bradley 2 and 1.

(Photo: McIlroy and Bradley shake hands before their singles match at the Ryder Cup; Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)

Shortly after it was officially announced that Tom Watson will lead the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 2014, Sky Sports published statements from both Bernard Gallacher and Colin Montgomerie on why they believe he is the best man for the job.

Gallacher, Watson's opposing captain in 1993, said:

"The USPGA have conducted a post-mortem after Medinah and decided that, as they look likely to have a young and inexperienced team, they might need a bit of experience over in Scotland to deal with the young players, so Tom, who is probably the most respected figure in the game today and has been there before as a captain and player and won in Europe, is a very clever appointment.

"I also think Watson is the perfect captain to get the best out of Tiger Woods, something we have not seen in Ryder Cups. Tiger only plays with Steve Stricker, but Tom will get him playing with other players ahead of 2014, plus, I think Tiger respects Tom for being very straightforward and criticizing him when he spat and swore on the course."

Monty, leader of the victorious European squad in 2010, said:

"It is a surprise choice but seeing America's failure in the Ryder Cup - Europe have won seven times out of the last nine - they've decided to change things and go with someone who isn't playing alongside the players; if you keep on doing the same things you get the same results, so I think America have been very wise in choosing Tom and have gone back to the future.

"It is also a selection that will keep the Ryder Cup on the front pages in America, more so than some of the other candidates, while as a captain in '93 he was very well respected and he's even more respected now. There's a lot of pressure on him but I'm sure he can handle it - and the egos in the American team."

Congrats to Tom Watson, 2014 US Ryder Cup captain. I would love to see Paul McGinley go up against him as European Captain at Gleneagles!

- Rory McIlroy (@McIlroyRory) December 13, 2012

Congratulations to Tom Watson! He probably is the right man for the job in 2014 with the matches being played in Scotland. #rydercupcaptain

- Bob Estes (@BobEstesPGA) December 13, 2012

Riiight. Did he say the same for Byron Nelson? MT @kellytilghmangc PGA Prez tells me Larry Nelson's window hasn't closed for being a captain

- Alan Shipnuck (@AlanShipnuck) December 13, 2012

It's Official - Tom Watson is the 2014 Ryder Cup Capt! How cool would it be to play in golf's birthplace for a guy that's a legend there!?

- Dustin Johnson (@DJohnsonPGA) December 13, 2012

Many congratulations to Tom Watson on being named the 2014 Ryder Cup captain. If Nelson isn't picked for '16, idk if he ever will...

- Christina Kim (@TheChristinaKim) December 13, 2012

Congrats to Tom Watson on being our next Ryder Cup Capt in 2014! What an honor it would be to play for him IN Scotland! #goUSA

- Zach Johnson (@ZachJohnsonPGA) December 13, 2012

Tom Watson better get cracking. Only 652 days until the Ryder Cup.

- Alan Bastable (@alan_bastable) December 13, 2012

Puzzling thing about Cap. Watson: how exactly does he "break the mold"? Dude's a recycled captain! Is picking an old guy that cutting-edge?

- Alan Shipnuck (@AlanShipnuck) December 13, 2012

Congrats to Tom Watson on being named USA Ryder cup captain!!! I hope to have the privilege to play for him.

- Keegan Bradley (@Keegan_Bradley) December 13, 2012

Congrats to Tom Watson - now what day is #TeamUSA rocking the flat cap? #Scotland #RalphLauren

- Luke Donald (@LukeDonald) December 13, 2012

You wanna get beaten again already!? "@keegan_bradley: All this Ryder Cup talk is getting me excited.Can we play now??!!!! #2moreyears"

— Rory Mcilroy (@McIlroyRory) December 12, 2012

All this Ryder Cup talk is getting me excited.Can we play now??!!!! #2moreyears

— Keegan Bradley (@Keegan_Bradley) December 12, 2012

I love the Keegan/Rory Ryder Cup banter. Such an electric event. It's why I'm in the gym right now. I want in. #USA

— Ben Crane (@bencranegolf) December 12, 2012

Watson awaiting his announcement as #RyderCup captain. twitter.com/DavidDusek/sta…

- David Dusek (@DavidDusek) December 13, 2012

I saw tremendous value in having Dave and Raymond's no nonsense old school of thinking at our 2008 RC. Tom will bring that same intangible

— Paul Azinger (@PaulAzinger) December 13, 2012

Many congratulations to my friend Tom Watson on being selected to lead Team USA in the @rydercup2014

— Gary Player (@garyplayer) December 13, 2012

Well, at least I'm not the only golf nerd here among the Soccer Moms from Tulsa. #RyderCup twitter.com/DavidDusek/sta…

- David Dusek (@DavidDusek) December 13, 2012

Congratulations Tom Watson on being the captain of the USA Ryder Cup team!!!! 🇺🇸❤🇺🇸

— Paula Creamer (@ThePCreamer) December 12, 2012

Tom Watson said last week in Auz "to be Ryder cup captain again would be cool"....So this week the PGA picks him?.....Now That's cool!!!

— Steve Elkington (@elkpga) December 12, 2012

Word is Tom Watson will be 2014 Ryder Cup Capt...love the guy!!! Larry Nelson better get his chance at some point though!! #justsayin

— Dustin Johnson (@DJohnsonPGA) December 12, 2012

Man, who did poor Larry Nelson tick off at @thepgaofamerica . Disgraceful boys. At least give him the dignity of a phone call. #cowards

— Arron Oberholser (@ArronOberholser) December 12, 2012

Larry Nelson would be the Tom Landry of Ryder Cup captains. Any player should be honored to play for him and the US of A! #rydercupcaptain

— Bob Estes (@BobEstesPGA) December 12, 2012

I don't understand the PGA of America... Why not go with the guy who led u to your last RC win? Not a guy who led 20+ yrs ago...#zinger

— Parker McLachlin (@ParkerMcLachlin) December 12, 2012

Tom Watson was officially introduced as the next American Ryder Cup captain on NBC's "Today" show on Thursday morning.

Watson will be 65, the oldest captain in Ryder Cup history, when the matches are held at Gleneagles in Scotland. Watson has won eight majors, including five British Opens, and captained the Americans to a victory in England in 1993, right, their last victory overseas. Since continental Europe joined the competition, only Jack Nicklaus has held the position twice.

Watson made a Broadway analogy in his press conference later in the morning at the Empire State Building. "It's like being a stage manager," he said. "That person has to prepare the stage for the actors, and that's what I do."

Watson is a universally respected figure in golf, especially in Scotland because of his success in the British Open. His reputation as a master of links golf was cemented at Turnberry in 2009, when, just shy of his 60th birthday, he lost in heartbreaking fashion in a playoff against Stewart Cink.

Another interesting wrinkle to Watson's selection is his frosty history with Tiger Woods. Watson was critical of Woods during his infidelity scandal and has also chastised Woods for cursing and throwing clubs on the course. Woods immediately issued a statement in support of Watson, however.

"I'd like to congratulate Tom Watson on his selection as Ryder Cup captain," Woods said in the statement. "I think he's a really good choice. Tom knows what it takes to win, and that's our ultimate goal. I hope I have the privilege of joining him on the 2014 United States Team."

The U.S. squad lost the Ryder Cup at Medinah in Chicago this year when the Europeans made a dramatic Sunday comeback in singles. The European side is expected to name its captain in January.

RELATED PHOTOS: Past U.S. captains | Watson's career | Europe's Sunday comeback

Photo: Michel Euler/AP

Tiger Woods at the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y. (Getty Images)

With no plans to bring the U.S. Open back to Bethpage Black in the near future, it appeared the famed New York muni might fade from the major championship picture in professional golf. That is until Tuesday, when PGA of America president Ted Bishop revealed his desire to bring major-caliber golf back to the Black Course to Newsday's Mark Herrmann.

Ted Bishop, the new president of the PGA of America, said Tuesday that one of his goals in office is to bring the PGA Championship and/or the Ryder Cup to Bethpage Black.

"We've just got some things to sort out with some dates in the future, but there is no decline in my interest," said Bishop, who took office last month. He and new chief executive officer Peter Bevacqua are in New York to name the 2014 U.S. Ryder Cup captain Thursday.

"Honestly, I would have to tell you that if you asked me my goal for the next couple of years, it would be to make some kind of an announcement that something is going to happen at Bethpage," Bishop said.

The Black Course at Bethpage State Park hosted the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Opens, won by Tiger Woods and Lucas Glover, respectively. The USGA has announced host venues through 2019, when Pebble Beach will take the reins, and the Black is not on the list. The last PGA Tour event to be played there was this year's Barclays, the first of the four 2012 FedEx Cup playoff events.

Golf World's Tim Rosaforte reported on Twitter that Tom Watson, who last attended a Ryder Cup when he was captain of the winning U.S. side in 1993, will again lead the Americans in 2014.

Watson was asked this weekend if he'd take the job if it was offered. He said he would, and since then he has become a much-discussed candidate for the job. The PGA of America has not confirmed the selection, and Rosaforte cited only his "reporting" in the tweets. The announcement was scheduled for Thursday morning on the TODAY Show.

Watson, 63, won five British Opens between 1975 and 1983, as well as two Masters and a U.S. Open. His British wins have made him a favorite of U.K. golf fans, which makes him an interesting pick for this Ryder Cup, which will be played at Gleneagles in Scotland. In 2009 at Turnberry, a 59-year-old Watson nearly made British Open history again, losing in a playoff to Stewart Cink.

Watson played in four Ryder Cups and had a career record of 10-4-1.

Photos: Tom Watson's career in pictures
PGA Tour Confidential: Captain Watson? | Who will get the job?

Photo: Mark Nolan/Getty Images

According to the UK's Daily Record, Colin Montgomerie wants members of the Tournament Player's Committee to ignore their personal opinions and affiliations with the two candidates and select the next European Ryder Cup captain fairly.

Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke, both candidates for the role, are part of the 15 member committee that will select Jose Maria Olazabal's replacement.

Monty's concerns stem from the fact that two other members of the committee -- David Howell and Richard Finch -- are represented by the same management company -- ISM -- as Clarke, according to the report.

“Both Paul and Darren would be suitable. Let’s hope that when the vote is taken there are those in the room voting for a player and not a fellow management client."

“It should all be about who is the best man for the job.”

The committee is slated to make a decision in January.

Hunter Mahan, who was left off Davis Love III's Ryder Cup team in September, can't escape questions of his snub, especially after the American collapse at Medinah in which two of Love's picks (Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk) underperformed.

Mahan says missing the Cup still stings, according to a Reuters report:

"At the end of the day, I wasn't playing as well as the other guys, I've got no one to blame but myself really," he said in a teleconference on Thursday ahead of his participation in next week's Thailand Golf Championship.

"When you've made the last five teams, you know how much fun it is, you know how much you enjoy the process, hanging with the guys and playing the practise and so on.

"And when you're not there, you know what you're missing and it sucks. It feels like you let yourself down in a way. It definitely kicks you in the teeth a little bit."

His words seem pretty diplomatic given the catastrophic collapse of Love's team, especially since Furyk's putt at the last may have been America's worst Ryder Cup moment since…Mahan's chip in 2010.