FARMINGDALE — What looked certain to be a comfortable Europe win unexpectedly turned into a thrilling Ryder Cup finale yesterday as they withstood a ferocious challenge from the US to capture golf’s biggest team prize in a nail-biting 15-13 victory.

Europe, a close-knit team that had done everything right for two days at Long Island’s Bethpage Black, needed two points from the 11 singles matches that were played to retain the Ryder Cup, but the US made them sweat it out until the bitter end.

“It’s got to be the most stressful 12 hours of my life,” said Europe’s Luke Donald, the first captain to win back-to-back editions of the biennial event since Tony Jacklin in the 1980s. “We knew they’d be tough, we didn’t think they’d be this tough.”

It wasn’t until the eighth match of the day that Ireland’s Shane Lowry drained a six-foot birdie at the last to tie Russell Henley, getting Europe to 14 points on the week and guaranteeing they would retain the Ryder Cup they won two years ago in Rome.

“I said to my caddie walking down 18, ‘I’ve got an opportunity to do the greatest thing I’ve ever done today,’ and I did it. And I’m very proud of myself,” said Lowry.

Then it was Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, in the penultimate match, who secured the outright victory with a half-point from his battle with Collin Morikawa that put Europe at the 14½ points needed to win the Ryder Cup.

“It’s been one of the hardest days I’ve ever experienced on a golf course,” Hatton said after the closest Ryder Cup since the “Miracle at Medinah” in 2012 when Europe staged a remarkable final-day comeback.

“It was to be expected, they’re amazing players — selfishly I was hoping it wouldn’t have to come down to me.”

Europe have now won 11 of the last 15 Ryder Cups dating back to 1995 and their latest triumph marks the fifth time they have won on foreign soil.