The worst U.S. defeat in Ryder Cup history was dumped at the feet of the team's leading three players, who buckled under the weight of expectation and the force of a European juggernaut.

Europe retained the Cup after dominating all three days to beat the U.S. by a huge 18 1/2 points to 9 1/2 margin.

"Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Davis Love are supposed to play great and none of us did," Love said on Sunday.

"I didn't do everything (captain) Hal (Sutton) asked me to do.

"He asked me to get out there Friday morning and play hard and I didn't get the job done.

"We just didn't play well. We can sit here all night and talk about it but it just boils down to the fact that we didn't get off to a good start and that was a big part of it."

The three top-ranked American golfers -- Woods, Mickelson and Love -- all major winners, contributed just 4 1/2 points to the U.S. cause as Europe countered with teamwork and camaraderie to continue their domination of golf's most prestigious team event with their fourth win in five matches.

Woods, who has never been able to translate his strokeplay success to the Ryder Cup, again failed to impress, winning just two of five matches.

"I was responsible for five points this week and I didn't get the job done in all five points, only two," Woods said.

"So I know I contributed to their victory, that's three points right there."

In a high-risk bid to capture the early momentum, Sutton sent his "dream team" of Woods and Mickelson out first on Friday to lead the charge.

The pairing mixed as well as oil and water, leaving the Oakland Hills galleries cold as they slumped to an opening defeat.

Finding someone to pair with Woods has proven a tricky task for U.S. captains, the former world number one having burned through 10 partners in four Ryder Cups.

Mickelson also failed to distinguish himself, the U.S. Masters champion contributing a single point to the American cause leading him to be benched by Sutton after stumbling through a pair of opening defeats.

"We all worked very hard to make the team," Mickelson said.

"It's a goal of ours to be one of the best 12 American players, to represent our country. It's a rare opportunity and a career defining moment.

"But when we get here we are under constant ridicule and scrutiny over our play and not coming together as a team and all the stuff we know is false

"We want so badly to win this event that we arrive on the first tee, we don't play as thought we have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

"We feel like we have everything to lose and nothing to gain because everyone expects us to win."