The US retained the Walker Cup at Royal County Down but were made to work unexpectedly hard for it.
After a 4-0 whitewash in the morning foursomes it looked almost a foregone conclusion at 10-6, but Britain and Ireland came out for the eight concluding singles with all guns blazing.
They took the first three points through Rory McIlroy, Rhys Davies and Lloyd Saltman and then Danny Willett sank a 20-footer on the last for a half with US champion Colt Knost.
However, Jamie Lovemark had beaten Jamie Moul for the first of the two points the United States needed and after Ireland's Jonny Caldwell had got the better of Kyle Stanley to cut the gap to one again Jonathan Moore beat Welshman Nigel Edwards with a brilliant eagle on the 18th to settle it.
There was still one game on the course and American Webb Simpson led David Horsey by one with three to play.
