Ben Evans fired a record-breaking 65 at Pyecombe to win the Sussex Boys' Champion of Champions title.

Victory confirms that an exciting future awaits the 17 year-old from Staplecross.

Ben left Millfield school at Christmas after successfully negotiating his GCSEs and is now full time on the amateur circuit, having been an England international since the age of 14.

Since entering his first competition as a ten-year-old at Sedlescombe, Ben's progress has been consistently impressive.

At 16, he debuted for Sussex's SE Counties League team.

Last year he won two Faldo Series tourneys and the under-17 section of a third, made the county colts side and played for England.

Glyn, his father, sent Ben to Claremont prep school at St Leonard's where he won a golf scholarship to Millfield and from that point on golf came first. As a junior he played at Sedlescombe, later becoming champion, although his home club is Rye.

One of a number of Sussex teenagers receiving EGU coaching and attending the School of Excellence (with Ollie Turnill and Tom Coulson), Ben is living proof that the county junior training scheme is bearing fruit.

Last year in a colts match against Surrey it was Ben who rescued Sussex, by taking the last four holes to win his match.

This week he plunged in with the big boys in the Peter McEvoy Trophy at Copt Heath. As the season unfolds, there will be no holding back, even though Ben is not 18 until December.

Now that he has the time, Ben practices every day over the demanding links at Rye.

Coaching comes from Steve Rolley, the Worthing professional and EGU appointee. There are also sessions with sports psychologist Ian Greenlees. The 65 at Pyecombe was achieved in wet and blustery weather. This suited Ben who likes pitting his skills against the elements.

Craig Newman, the former Sussex champion from Worthing, and West Hove's Coulson, led the field on 72 at halfway from Matthew Dean (West Chiltington) 73, followed by Evans and Ben Newsome (Mid Sussex) 74.

When Newman posted another 72 the target was set on 144.

Meanwhile, Ben was storming round the front nine in 33 (two under). He started back with birdies at ten and 12 and two more at 14 and 16 for an inward 32 made him six under (eight birdies, eight pars and two bogeys).