Incoming USC freshman Cheng Jin wins Players Amateur

July 11, 2016 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff

Cheng Jin (Players Amateur photo)

Cheng Jin started his day with three straight bogeys before righting the ship

BLUFFTON, SC (July 11, 2016) -- Beijing, China native Cheng Jin is the 2016 Players Amateur Champion. He joins an impressive list of past champions including Rickie Fowler and Bill Haas.

The incoming University of Southern California freshman started the final round in the lead but bogeyed the first three holes giving several others a chance at the win. “I had an awful start. I just tried to calm myself down and stick to my game,” Jin told reporters.

He lost the lead to University of Alabama’s Davis Riley, after Riley birdied No. 9 and for the next several holes, the lead changed several times with Patrick Martin, Travis Smyth and Harrison Endycott all seeing their names at the top of the leaderboard.

18-year-old Jin regained the lead after he birdied the 16th hole and went to 12-under. His next birdie on No. 17 secured his win.

Australian National Team member Endycott was 6- under for the day and ended the tournament tied for second place at 11-under with Vanderbilt’s Patrick Martin. After his round, Endycott told reporters he was disappointed with his second place finish but was happy with the way he played, “I just managed to get the ball in the right places today. There are some really tough pins and I managed really really well to always give myself a scoring opportunity. I was very proud of myself the way I did that today.”

Martin told reporters his game is in the right spot, “I have been playing well all summer. I have been knocking on the door. This week I put myself in position again and each week I continue to feel more comfortable in that spot.”

Jin’s win earns him an exemption into the 2017 RBC Heritage, Presented by Boeing April 10-16 over the famed Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island. The 18-year-old is looking forward to the new experience, “It will be my first PGA TOUR event besides The Masters, I am really looking forward to it.” He received an exemption into the 2016 Masters after winning the 2015 Asia-Pacific Amateur.

Contestants in the 17th annual Players Amateur shot a total of 120 birdies. The tournament’s “Two Club” donates 2 dollars for every birdie made. $9,840 will be distributed to the Berkeley Hall Charitable Foundation, Heritage Classic Foundation and the South Carolina Junior Golf Foundation.

Editors Note: Story courtesy Heritage Classic Foundation Marketing Director Angela McSwain

Results: Players Amateur

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	Cheng Jin	, China	1200	69-67-69-70=275
T2	Harrison Endycott	, Australia	900	72-68-71-66=277
T2	Patrick Martin	Birmingham, AL	900	71-68-70-68=277
T4	Anthony Quayle	, Australia	700	67-71-74-67=279
T4	Travis Smyth	, Australia	700	70-72-68-69=279

View full results for Players Amateur

About the Players Amateur

Incoming USC freshman Cheng Jin wins Players Amateur

While competing in the 1999 US Amateur Championship at Pebble Beach, former US Walker Cup Team members, Duke Delcher and Tom McKnight discussed the formation of a premier 72-hole stroke play amateur golf tournament. The inaugural Players Amateur was ...