Eugene Hong, of Orlando, clinched the winning point on No. 18, as he sunk a five-foot par putt, to halve the hole, and a 1-up win over Matias Honkala, of Finland.

“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.”

With nine of the 12 players on the U.S. team ranked among the Top 10 junior boys and girls in the world, the American squad built off a 7 to 5 lead amassed the day before in foursomes and mixed four- ball, and were off to the races. It was an impressive performance by the Americans, as they won the singles matches by a solid five points, 8 1/2 to 3 1/2.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I expect the team to be this good, not just in golf, but in the way they and the Europeans conducted themselves,” said Remy, the 36th President of the PGA of America.