He's not even the best player at Worthing but Jack Bartlett is definitely one to watch for the future.

The 6ft 4in 17-year-old is the youngest winner of the Sussex Order of Merit and is on the fringe of England selection.

This time next year, if all goes to plan, he could be on a golf scholarship at an American college following the trail of other bright prospects from Sussex.

Bartlett topped the Sussex lists after a memorable season.

He says the highlight was being the leading qualifier in the Sussex Amateur before losing to Scott Nightingale in the final.

Bartlett was three up with six to play but handed the championship on a plate to his experienced opponent by fluffing a simple looking runup at The Dyke's 10th hole.

Nightingale looked almost as despondent as his happygo- lucky rival and expressed his admiration for him after hands were shaken at the first extra hole.

Scorning safety first, Bartlett out-drove Nightingale by a good 20 yards at the 18th. Nightingale said: "I couldn't believe Jack's drive.

He didn't show any nerves. I was the nervous one all the way round. It may not have showed but I was."

Nightingale became champion for the second time in five years but it was Bartlett who finishes ahead of his rival in the Order of Merit with 40 points from the maximum 10 events, easing out Worthing's lowest handicap at +2 by five points.

Bartlett's rating is nudging +0.4 and he can only get better.

He said: "My season was a bit up and down. I started well and finished seventh out of 50 in the South of England Youth championships at Rye, but the low point was in the South East Junior championships at Moor Park where I was well down the field."

The first signs of Bartlett's prowess came last year at Littlehampton when he lost to Tyler Vennables in a sudden death shoot-out in the Sussex Boys Championship. By then he was already an England reserve.

Sussex called him up this year for their Colts (under- 21s) and Worthing included Bartlett in their Davies & Tate Trophy winning team last month.

Worthing's youngsters dominated the Sussex Boys Championship at West Hove in August when Peter Tarver- Jones won by six strokes.

But Bartlett made his mark with a second round 67 which broke the amateur course record. What keeps Bartlett on his toes is the depth of topclass competition at Worthing from the likes of Darren Renwick, who has captained England Boys, and Tarver- Jones.

By finishing 10th overall in the Sussex Open at Cottesmore, Bartlett topped the order of merit from Wayne Hawes and the day after helping Worthing win the Davies & Tate he won the Purley Trophy at Bognor to effectively seal the title.

Another feather in his cap was helping Worthing win the Langmead Trophy but success has not gone to Bartlett's head. He is only too well aware of his rookie status and this week he attended the first of a series of sessions with Steve Rolley, the Worthing head pro and a greatly respected coach.

Alongside Bartlett were Renwick, Ashley Rees (East Brighton), Stuart Barber (Chichester) and Adam Brown (Royal Eastbourne) and three prospects from Kent.

Bartlett has been a Rolley pupil for almost four years.

He had his first lessons when he became a Worthing junior aged eight after being introduced to golf by his father, who does not play, at Rustington and Littlehampton pitch 'n putt.

Bartlett said: "When I first had lessons Steve Rolley made some big swing changes. Now my short games needs improving. That is the part of my game that I need to concentrate on including putting.

"I've had about 10 putters and have been using a belly putter lately but I've got my eye on a Ping mallet head with a nice soft face that will suit me as I like to hit my putts hard. It is not only putters that I've changed a lot but my grip as well. I've gone from cack-handed to a Chris DiMarco-style claw grip.

"As to the future, there are no offers yet from America but talks are going on with three colleges.

"If I do get a scholarship it would mean me leaving next August. For now I'm just going to keep working at my game throughout the winter."

ORDER OF MERIT TOP 10 - 1 Jack Bartlett (Worthing) 45 points, 2 Scott Nightingale (Worthing) 30, 3 Wayne Hawes (Littlehampton) 29.5; 4 Todd Adcock (The Nevill) 25; 5 Ollie Turnill (Bognor) 24.5; 6 Tom Coulson (West Hove) 24; 7 Ben Evans (Rye) 23; 8 Luke Cornford (ESN) 19; 9 Lawrie Tremlett (Lewes) 18.5; 10 Arwel Roberts (Worthing) 17.