Struver takes over lead with 65

Sven Struver beat the baby blues to card a sensational second round 65 round Slaley Hall on Thursday, to take a two shot lead in the Great North Open.

Struver has been kept awake by newly-born son Johan in recent weeks, so the German had to stay focused during his seven under par round.

He said: "I didn't really want to come this week because of problems at home with our new baby Johan.

"But my wife told me to go away and get some sleep and some decent practice.

“I'd had none of either in two weeks and if you don't practice it's hard to compete now the standard on tour is so high.

"I've only been getting three hours sleep at night because of the baby. He's been on the go from nine at night until three in the morning.”

The lack of sleep clearly did him no harm though, as the German golfer picked up the first of his seven birdies on the third.

"I've just not been rolling in the putts and if you don't roll them in you don't make birdies,” he continued.

The birdie assault began on the ninth, as Struver managed a birdie three to reach the turn in 34.

A birdie on 10 took him to three under for the day, before four birdies from 13 through 16 put him on seven under.

Struver made par on the last two, to miss equaling the course record by just one shot.

Roger Wessels sits in second on six under, after the South African carded his second consecutive 69.

Bradley Dredge, Andrew Oldcorn and first round leader Diego Borrego lie in third on five under.

Borrego failed to reproduce his third round display: the Spaniard fired a one over par 73.

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