The 2012 Junior Ryder Cup will be played at Olympia Fields Country Club in Illinois, United States from September 24 – 25 2012.

Olympia Fields has hosted four Major Championships, and will be the next venue of the biennial contest for girls and boys under the age of 18. The United States will defend the trophy they won at The Gleneagles Hotel in September, where they beat Europe 13½-10½.

Allen Wronowski, President of the PGA of America, said: “We are looking forward to bringing the Junior Ryder Cup to the historic Olympia Fields Country Club. The Junior Ryder Cup brings together the best junior golf talent from Europe and the United States, and this venue will offer a perfect stage for competition.”

The South Course, a 1915 Tom Bendelow design, was restored it to its original style and strategy in 2008 by award-winning golf course architect Steve Smyers.

“Everyone at Olympia Fields Country Club is excited about hosting the 2012 Junior Ryder Cup,” said Brian Morrison, PGA head professional at Olympia Fields Country Club and the 2009 PGA Merchandiser of the Year for Private Facilities. “Our membership wants to promote the game of golf at the grassroots level and has truly embraced the amateur golf game as a whole.”

The Junior Ryder Cup, an international showcase of golf’s next generation, is designed to continue to build international friendships between top junior golfers in the United States and Europe. Notable past players include Rory McIlroy, Matteo Manassero, Carly Booth, Suzann Pettersen and Hunter Mahan.