The final major championship of the season started with a whimper and ended with a bang.

For three days at Whistling Straits on a quiet corner of Wisconsin’s collision with Lake Michigan, the drama was limited to a few strokes and performances here and there with nothing much happening to suggest that this was the crescendo to the grand slam summer.

How on earth were we to know that it was building up to be one of the most exciting, interesting and dramatic conclusions in the history of the US PGA.

Rory McIlroy shaved the hole down to the skin on almost every green and despite not getting the rub of it, still finished up with a 20-footer to get into a play-off.   With the pin tucked into a position Jack Nicklaus at his best might not have got within 15 yards of (or have even tried to), Rory struck a magnificent iron which was roared all the way to the final green.

It was not to be for Rory as he missed the putt, but many a positive to be taken away and watch him next year in all the majors.

Not to be either for Dustin Johnson.  The American thought he had a seven-foot putt on the last green to win his first major.  He missed it, but thought a second chance would come in a play-off with Bubber Watson and Martin Kaymer.  No, he’d innocently but illegally grounded his club in a hazard and was penalised two shots which relegated him to fifth.

Kaymer had looked in control of himself and the situation throughout the afternoon and he eventually emerged as only the second German behind Bernhard Langer to have won a major championship after the three-hole play-off with the American.

Congratulations to him and I’m sure he will be a very welcome member of Europe’s Ryder Cup team.

There’s still a couple of qualifying events to go and Ross McGowan signalled his intention to fight all the way into the team by opting to go to the Czech Republic this week in search of the big finish that will secure him a spot.