Alison Lee (L) and Quirine Eijkenboom embrace. British Amateur runner-up Matthias Schwab can be seen in the background.

The United States team made the most its home advantage at Olympia Fields yesterday to retain the Junior Ryder Cup by a margin of five-points (14.5-9.5).

Though more competitive than the last such exhibition to take place on US soil, which saw the home side rampant en route to a 20-point margin of victory, the outcome of yesterday’s event was effectively placed beyond doubt early in the order of play.

Entering the final-day singles with a two-point advantage, the United States charged to the cusp of victory, claiming four of the first five matches.

The visitors then received a stay of execution as Dominic Foos, Covadunga Sanjuan and Matthias Schwab spearheaded a brief European fightback.

It eventually fell to home favourite Alison Lee to nudge the United States across the line by completing a 6&5 rout of Sweden’s Linnea Strom.

The Junior Ryder Cup teams will attend Medinah this afternoon, where they’re scheduled to play a mixed fourball “Friendship Match” (ugh) over a nine-hole composite course.

FACT: The 2012 European Ryder Cup team contains three Junior Ryder Cup veterans — Nicolas Colsaerts, Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy.

Conor Nagle