Michael Mudie's victory in the Sussex Boys' Championship at Pyecombe was no real surprise.

Leading with a one under-par 70 at lunch, early starter Mudie's 74 was enough to clinch the title on 144.

Had Steve Stark competed, however, the outcome may have been different.

The significance of Stark's absence was acknowledged by The Dyke junior.

He said: "Steve is a much better player than me, but I don't know why he isn't here."

Mudie, just turned 17, has only been playing four and a half years and won well by one stroke from Chris Purton, of Mannings Heath.

Michael is doing A levels in psychology, PE and business studies at Brighton, Hove and Sussex VIth Form College and wants to pursue a career in golf.

His progress may be charted from winning the Sussex Boys' under-16s and making third overall. Like the majority of his age, he loves to pull out the driver and whack it as far as possible. Big hands and feet, he gives the ball a long ride.

A case in point came during his second round at the 492-yd ninth where his tee shot vanished into thick rough. It took nearly five minutes to find the ball and then he shanked a sand wedge barely onto the fairway.

That left him 330 yards to the pin and he drilled a beauty to within eight feet against the wind and popped-in the birdie putt.

That hole threatened to upset his bid. In the first round he also found rough from the tee. After laying-up he stuck his 120-yd third shot two feet from the hole.

During the afternoon Mudie double-bogeyed the 16th, birdied 17 and finished with a bogey. The birdie on 17 came via another pinpointed approach from just over 100 yards.

All his clubs behaved, especially the three wood that he put 12 feet from the stick for a birdie at the 235-yd 13th with the wind against.

Perhaps Stark, who is a first claim member at Brighton and Hove and helps in the shop and second claim at The Dyke, feels in danger of becoming over-golfed.

The Sussex Boys' Championship coming straight after the Carris Trophy left his plate full.

Tom Coulson, of West Hove, who, at plus-two, is the lowest handicap in the country for his age, suddenly chucked in the towel at Pyecombe.

After 18 holes he was third after a fine 72. But when he reached the short fifth on his second round he found the long stuff and didn't play a provisional.

At the time he was four over-par and failed to complete his card.

There were, regrettably, no fewer than 16 no returns from a field of 47. Coulson has great potential but must learn to cope with the ups and downs of the game, or else he will get a reputation of being a one-course player. At West Hove he is practically unbeatable.

Craig Newman, of Worthing, who won the Sussex Amateur in June, faded out of the picture on 162 and came 25th.

Scratchman Jack Budgen, a fancied starter, came a cropper both times at the 17th.

One to watch for the future is Ben Maynard, of East Brighton, who won the under-16s and has Andy Broadway to thank for valuable coaching.