Henrik Stenson proved the hero for Europe as they saw off a spirited fightback from Asia to claim the inaugural Royal Trophy 9-7 at Amata Spring Country Club, near Bangkok.
The Swede deflated a buoyant home crowd by beating local favourite Thongchai Jaidee to secure the point needed to take Europe over the finishing line.
After yesterday's foursomes and fourballs, Europe, the pre-tournament favourites, led 6-2 and Sunday's singles matches began with the Asians attempting to turn the competition around.
Europe's golfers, who had been told by captain Seve Ballesteros beforehand that he would not tolerate over-confidence, did their best to make a seemingly one-sided contest competitive again.
With David Howell down by one shot to Yasuharu Imano going into the last hole, the result was on something of a knife-edge.
European nerves were settled a touch when Paul McGinley won the first point of the day, a 2&1 victory over Zhang Lian-wei.
Europe were now 7-2 up, although Howell fell to Imano by two holes after bogeying the last to restore the gap between the teams to four points.
Ballesteros' men moved to within half a point of victory with five games still in progress when Graeme McDowell finally overcame the dogged resistance of Jyoti Randhawa to win 3&2.
But despite Stenson being in total control of his match with Jaidee, having gone four up at the 12th, the rest of the European challenge had faltered badly.
Nick Faldo, Ian Woosnam, Kenneth Ferrie and Thomas Bjorn were all losing as Asia pulled out all the stops in the hot but blustery conditions.
Stenson, though, held his nerve at the 13th with a par, as Jaidee bogeyed, to move five up, ensuring that he could at worst halve his match with five holes to play, and handing the Royal Trophy to Europe.
The scoreline paints a closer picture than was actually the case, given the early resolution of Stenson's match, but there is no doubt Europe were worked harder for victory than had been anticipated after the first day's play.
Other than Stenson, no European was anywhere near the top of their games as the Asian players, chastened after Saturday, dug in admirably.
If Zhang had managed to halve his match with McGinley, in a contest that had been nip and tuck all day, the tournament would still have been alive beyond mid-afternoon.
McGinley, indeed, had started slowly, falling to two behind early on and only going ahead for the first time with a birdie at the par three 14th.
With the destination of the trophy known, Nick Faldo was the next player to finish in a 3&2 loss to Arjun Atwal, and after a round that included only two birdies the veteran can have no complaints.
Bjorn's comprehensive 4&3 loss to Keiichiro Fukabori was then confirmed.
Woosnam, up against one of his tormentors in Saturday's foursomes with fellow wildcard selection Faldo in the shape of Thaworn Wiratchant, was ahead only once in his match, succumbing to a 2&1 defeat.
Finally, Ferrie's 2&1 reverse to SK Ho came in, at which point the celebrations could begin for Europe, although the plaudits will go to Asia after their final-day resurgence.
Singles:
Paul McGinley (Irl) bt Zhang Lian-wei (Chn) 2&1,
Yasuharu Imano (Jpn) bt David Howell (Eng) 2 up,
Graeme McDowell (NIrl) bt Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 3&2,
Arjun Atwal (Ind) bt Nick Faldo (Eng) 3&2,
Henrik Stenson (Swe) bt Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 5&4,
Keiichiro Fukabori (Jpn) bt Thomas Bjorn (Den) 4&3,
Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) bt Ian Woosnam (Wal) 2&1,
SK Ho (Kor) bt Kenneth Ferrie (Eng) 2&1
Europe bt Asia 9-7
