Jin Cheng

Earned his 2016 Masters invitation by winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship last fall. Opened the event with a course-record 62. Shot 69 in the third round in tough conditions, including a nifty up-and-down for birdie at No. 18. The birdie was good for a one-shot lead, which gave him the title after a typhoon forced the cancellation of the final round.
Jin started playing golf when he was 7 years-old. In September 2014, he became the first amateur to lead a PGA Tour China event at the Jianye Tianzhu Henan Open. In his next start in November 2014, he won the Nine Dragons Open, becoming the first amateur to win on that tour. He birdied the 17th hole in the final round at Nine Dragons Golf Club while the leader, Brazil?s Lucas Lee, made three bogeys over his final three holes. In his PGA Tour China career, through the 2015 season, Jin has played 18 events, made the cut 13 times and recorded six top-10s, including the Nine Dragons victory.
Jin got his first taste of professional golf at 14 when he played but missed the cut at the 2013 Volvo China Open. His victory at the 2014 Volvo China Junior Match Play Championship secured another trip to the Volvo China Open, where he again missed the cut.
Jin has also played and made cuts on the OneAsia Tour and the Asian Tour. In December 2015, his T-11th at the Asian Tour's Thailand Golf Championship represented his best career finish outside of China.
Jin played at the U.S. Junior Amateur in 2013, 2014 and 2015 where he reached the round of 64, but he lost in the first round of match play to Norway?s Kristoffer Reitan on the 23rd hole.
In November 2015, Jin signed a letter of intent to attend and play golf for the University of Southern California starting in the fall of 2016. At the time he said, ?I need some time to get ready for professional golf. I?m still not mature enough for it. I think I can learn a lot from college, and not only about golf. I can be a student, and I can also learn a lot about life.? Jin seems to have every intention of playing four years for the Trojans and graduating from the Los Angeles school before turning pro.