CALLUM TARREN made the grade at Seaton Carew last weekend when he took a break from revision to become Durham County champion.

The 18-year-old is due to sit his A-levels next week before embarking on a four-year golf scholarship in the Untied States in September.

A confident teenager intent on achieving his dreams, Tarren has his eyes on becoming a household name on the golfing circuit.

And if he does fulfil his goals, he will look back on the weekend at Seaton Carew in May 2009 when his name was engraved on the prestigious County Championship trophy after a nail-biting end.

Tarren recorded a four round total of 297 to end one shot clear of 2005 and 2006 champion Michael Curry.

But a victory which the Dinsdale Spa golfer had looked liked wrapping up early was in danger of ending embarrassingly.

From a position of seven under, he went triple bogey, double bogey, bogey to limp across the line having been adjudged to have moved the ball during his practice stroke at the 16th.

“All the hard work I had put into it was worthwhile, I really was delighted because I have not been particularly happy with how I have been playing,” said Tarren, who sits his exams at Darlington’s Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College.

“It’s been a strange time because I have my A-levels coming up, so to have won on Sunday was superb. I’m hoping though that this is just a step towards what I actually want to do, which is play on the Tour.”

Having been introduced to golf as an 11-year-old by his best friend’s mother, Diane Wayson, who worked behind the bar at Dinsdale, Tarren has gone from strength to strength.

Had he not chosen golf he could easily have been a footballer having spent time at the development centres of Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Leeds and Darlington.

But with his days a central midfielder firmly behind him, Tarren is relishing the chance to head out to Radford University in Virginia in the hope of honing his talent.

“I have had to be really dedicated to golf and that’s why I stopped playing football when I was about 14,” said Tarren.

“I have discussed things with my coach, Martyn Stubbings, the Dinsdale Spa pro, and heading out to America is what we think is the best thing for me if I want to compete at the highest level.”

Results: Callum Tarren (Dinsdale Spa) 297; Michael Curry (Brancepeth Castle) 298; David Innes (Hartlepool) 299; Robert Moon (Billingham) 300; Jonathan Egglestone (Chester-le-Street) 300.

Boys Under 14 Championship: Gross Joe Cowper (Darlington) 77 Jack Richardson (Durham City) 78. Nett Ryan Coles (Oakleaf) 86 - 21 = 65; Sam Donald (Eaglescliffe) 88 - 20 = 68.

■ Durham team to play Northumberland at Ponteland in the Daily Telegraph league match on Saturday: Callum Tarren (Dinsdale Spa), Michael Curry (Brancepeth Castle), Graeme Marchbank (Durham City), Gareth Cooper (Brancepeth Castle), Stuart Brown (Castle Eden), Ian McEntee (South Moor), Steven Dance (Ramside), Chris Hewitt (Beamish Park), Robert Moon (Billingham), Julian Wynn (Eaglescliffe), Bryan Ross (Heworth), Gavin Nesbit (Boldon).