ST ANDREWS, Scotland (Reuters) - Martin Kaymer has revealed his secret thoughts about the five- foot putt at Medinah which ensured Europe retained the Ryder Cup.

As he contemplated the stroke that completed a 1-up victory over Steve Stricker the German knew it was not a tough one.

But he was also aware that his fellow German Bernhard Langer has never been allowed to forget a missed putt of the same length which handed the Americans Ryder Cup victory at Kiawah Island in 1991.

"It was such a fine line between being the hero and the biggest idiot and fortunately it went the right way," Kaymer told reporters as he prepared for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

"When I was standing behind the ball and then when I bent down Bernhard's miss crossed my mind for half a second. But it didn't have any influence in a positive or negative way.

"And if you stick to the facts it was the easiest putt you can have despite all the circumstances because it was uphill and an inside the right line. There is no easier putt. We have that putt millions of times and I had to try to forget about the Ryder Cup."

Kaymer admitted that since arriving in Scotland he had been surprised at how many people had congratulated him on his performance.

"Obviously I had the pleasure to make the putt but at the end of the day I only got one point even though I played twice and there were other guys who inspired the team a lot more on the Sunday."

(Editing by Ed Osmond)