By Ken Ferris

Darren Clarke was the toast of the British media on Monday as newspapers paid tribute to his bittersweet celebrations after Europe's crushing Ryder Cup victory over the United States.

Exactly six weeks after his wife Heather died of breast cancer ,Clarke stood soaked in champagne and tears as he celebrated an 18½ -9½ win that gave Europe an historic third success in a row and matched their biggest victory.

Under the headline 'Pure Genius' - a reference to the adverts for the pints of Guinness Ireland is famous for  - the Daily Mirror wrote: "Hero Darren sinks putts, sinks Yanks... then sinks a pint in one!''

It added: "Darren Clarke drank a cocktail of champagne, Guinness and tears after inspiring Europe to the most emotional Ryder Cup triumph ever."

The Daily Express described it as "The Cup of Tears" on its back page, adding: "Europe dedicate victory to Heather".

"The whole of Ireland roared Darren Clarke to victory, they shared in his tears as the heartbroken man from Dungannon saw the Ryder Cup home, and they raised a glass of the black stuff to one of their own," said the mid-market tabloid.

'Special K' was the back page headline in The Sun, while on the front cover it said: 'Tears of Ryder Cup hero Darren'. On its news pages the paper ran a picture montage in tribute to the Northern Irishman who helped secure Europe's stunning victory.

"The tears and rain fell in roughly equal measure at the K Club all week. But it was awash with champagne as Darren Clarke took his place among Britain's best-loved sporting heroes. The Ryder Cup is not supposed to be about one man. yet this one was," said Britain's top-selling daily newspaper.

'This one's for you Heather' trumpeted the Daily Mail front page next to a picture of a tearful Clarke while inside it shows the Irishman weeping in the arms of his caddie Billy Foster. "No day in the history of European golf compares to the one that unfolded against a spectacular backcloth of colour and noise at the K club yesterday," added the paper.

The Times chimed in with a back page headline of 'Easy Ryder: Woosnam's record breakers cruise to emphatic victory in Ireland' as it reflected on the nine-point winning margin.

The paper stopped short of agreeing with Europe's captain Ian Woosnam that his team's victory was "the greatest week in history", but nevertheless added: "And yet, at that precise moment, who could blame him? A magnificent three days, dominated by bad weather and played over sodden Irish acres ended in the most crushing defeat inflicted by a Europe team in the Ryder Cup.''

The Daily Telegraph published a pull-out section headlined: 'Carried home on a wave of support', having described the players as 'Golden Boys' next to a picture of Clarke, Woosnam and Luke Donald bathed in sunshine holding the Ryder Cup.

Even the Financial Times adorned its front page with a picture of Woosnam holding the Cup aloft as he is applauded by his grinning players, who were appropriately wearing pink blazers - the official colour of the Breast Cancer charity.