IT would be fair to say that Danny Willett has had better weeks. Asked to sum up his maiden Ryder Cup appearance in the aftermath of Europe’s 17-11 defeat to the USA at Hazeltine, the reigning Masters champion delivered an insightful, in-depth analysis of affairs. “S**t,” said the straight talking Yorkshireman. The furore generated by his brother’s ill-timed, ill-judged magazine article about American fans certainly didn’t help Willett’s state of mind or his golf. He lost all of his three matches and was one of four rookies who didn’t contribute a point. Against a backdrop of hissing and heckling, Willett’s experience was largely miserable but he did at least find unity with his sibling again as he suggested his article had hit the nail on the head.

“Unfortunately some American fans showed PJ Willett was in fact correct,” he wrote on his Twitter site. “Sometimes fans don’t know when to call it a day, it’s a shame really.” Given the week he endured, perhaps it would’ve been better to have said nothing.

The big target of the crass verbal volleys, of course, was Rory McIlroy but, typically, he responded with shrugging nonchalance and grace. Europe took the hefty defeat well. When the US lose, they lose big and hard and their faces are as stony as the edifices in the Glasgow Necropolis.

The European press conference afterwards resembled a chimp’s tea party as they all laughed, smiled and monkeyed about. The beer probably helped.

“First and foremost, we won’t be encouraging any sort of retaliation,” said McIlroy as he looked ahead to the 2018 match in Paris and a more genteel crowd. “That’s just not who we are. It’s not what we do. We’ll be making that clear. We want to play this in the manner in which it should be played. At times it (the behaviour of the crowd) went a bit too far but 95 per cent of the gallery out there were absolutely fantastic. A few crossed the line but we’ll take it on the chin.”

In his mesmerising bout with Patrick Reed in the top singles tie, a contest that was like two prize fighters going at it hammer and tongs, McIlroy eventually ran out of steam as his American opponent held on for a one hole lead which gave the hosts a huge point and an even bigger lift.

“All the energy I expended this week sort of caught up with me on the back nine,” the 27-year-old admitted. “I wanted to take the bull by the horns. I wanted to go out there and lead by example but it wasn’t meant to be. But this will galvanise us. It will make us stronger to come back in Paris.”

The American press conference could not have been a more stark contrast to the one they performed at Gleneagles in 2014. Amid the sombre scenes after a heavy defeat, Phil Mickelson left everybody’s jaw on the floor with his public slating of the US captain Tom Watson. The 46-year-old demanded change to the US approach to the Ryder Cup and he got it. He instigated the Task Force in the immediate aftermath of that debacle and has been hands on ever since.

Davis Love III may have been the captain but Mickelson was, in many ways, the driving force. This was a vindication for the 11-time Ryder Cup player.

“The pressure started when some dumb ass opened his mouth two years ago in the media centre,” said a smiling Mickelson, when asked about the burden he was carrying on those broad shoulders. “The thing about this is that we need to build on this. Otherwise, it's all for naught.”

It was Team Europe who were left with nowt as the US racked up their biggest win in the event since 1981. Paul Lawrie, the former Open champion who played in the Ryder Cups of 1999 and 2012, was part of Darren Clarke’s backroom team and it was certainly an eye-opening experience for the 46-year-old Aberdonian.

“When you watch the level that was on show, it’s gone up a level or two since I played,” he conceded. “I would love to play again but I’m a long way off that at the moment.

“I'd like to play once more and I don’t see why I can’t. I need to get a little bit fitter, but I fancy playing one more and as long as that thought is in my head I’m just going to keep going.”

It may be something of a fanciful thought but, whatever the future holds, there will clearly be a Ryder Cup role for Lawrie.

“He’ll definitely be a captain,” said his fellow Scot, Sam Torrance.