Jin carries China's hopes in Augusta

China's latest golf hope, Jin Cheng, tees off in the Masters on Thursday trying to emulate "close friend" Guan Tianlang, who impressed three years ago at Augusta National.

The 18-year-old from Beijing stamped his ticket for the year's first major by winning last year's Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, the same door taken by Guan.

He will be 3 1/2 years older than Guan, who became the youngest-ever player at the Masters in 2013 at 14 years and five months, and even made the cut in what was an astonishing display of precociousness.