The United States won its fifth successive Junior Ryder Cup with a 15 ½ – 8 ½ victory over Europe at Interlachen Country Club, Minnesota.
Eugene Hong clinched the winning point on hole 18, as he sunk a five-foot par putt, to halve the hole to win 1-up over Finland’s Matias Honkala.
“One team won, and one team did not,” said United States Junior Ryder Cup Captain Jim Remy during the Closing Ceremony, as he accepted the Junior Ryder Cup Trophy from PGA President Derek Sprague. “Yet, golf won today. This was a tremendous championship.”
“Even though we lost, I’m still very proud of my team,” said European Junior Ryder Cup Captain Maitena Alsuguren. “I’m sure we will see many of them on the European Tour and the Ladies’ European Tour in the years to come, and I’m also sure we will come back strong in the 2018 Junior Ryder Cup.”
(Captain Maitena Alsuguren; Photo by Getty Images)
With a two-point deficit from day one Team Europe started well into the second day with Kristoffer Reitan beating Davis Shore and Frida Kinhult adding half a point to the leaderboard to remain unbeaten.
Jonathan Goth-Rasmussen’s (2-up) and Marcus Svensson’s (3&1) late wins over Wilson Furr and Noah Goodwin respectively were rendered redundant as the United States crossed the 12-point mark.
An impressive U.S. team proved too strong for the European girls and boys. The singles matches were won by the USA by five points, 8 ½-3 ½.
The 2018 Junior Ryder Cup will be played in Disneyland Paris in conjunction with the 42nd Ryder Cup. The United States have won six times. The 2006 contest was halved and Europe lifted the trophy in 1999, 2002 and 2004.
Team Europe, from left to right, back row: Maitena Alsuguren, Adrien Pendaries, Jonathan Goth-Rasmussen, Marcus Svensson, Matias Honkala, Falko Hanisch, Kristoffer Reitan
Front row: Beatrice Wallin, Emma Spitz, Julia Engstörm, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, Emilie Alba Paltrinieri, Frida Kinhult
(Photos by Getty Images)