MARK Young's emphatic victory in the Mitsushiba Northern Order of Merit has provided him with the confidence to take his game to a higher level next season.

The 26-year-old Clitheroe hot-shot, who clinched the title by a massive 590 points, said: "I'm planning to play national tournaments and maybe get into one of the England squads."

Preston-born Young admitted that he never considered such a lofty ambition until he started to play the merit on a regular basis.

"I entered a few events last year and enjoyed them so much that I played in as many as I could this time. They're such good courses and I've made a lot of friends," he reflected.

Young, picked for Lancashire on the strength of his success, regarded his win in the Crompton and Royton Sword as the best of his three triumphs.

"I shot 64 in the second round and I was well impressed with that," he said.

He also prevailed in the Penwortham Rose Bowl and had already sealed the merit when he fittingly claimed top prize in the Caldy Quart - the last event of the campaign.

And with four second places to his name he never looked like being caught as Childwall's Paul McFerran and Steve Hindle, from Ellesmere, finished well behind him.

Young, who has a plus two handicap and makes conservatory roofs for a living, played at Stonyhurst Park as a junior before joining Longridge where he has won the last three club championships.

But he has no aspiration to turn professional. "I've never given it a thought," he added.