Three top crowded leaderboard

David Gilford, Miles Tunnicliff and Sven Struver tie for the lead after the third round of the Great North Open at Slaley Hall.

Twelve players are separated by just three strokes after a surprising third round.

Former Ryder Cup player Gilford started the day in 20th place and after shooting a 68 ended it sharing top spot.

Tunnicliff, who is based in Marbella, birdied six of the opening nine holes to go eight under par.

But a bogey on the par four 15th hole meant he dropped back to a two-shot lead over Sven Struver, Diego Borrego and Gary Murphy.

Struver, who has been kept awake by newly-born son Johan in recent weeks, began by bogeying the 429-yard first and was immediately joined in the lead by Tunnicliff, who began the day 17th.

Struver, who led at the halfway stage, was seven under with one hole to play, before bogeying the last.

Gilford was playing with Tunnicliff and after being totally outplayed by him going out, came home in 32 and actually outscored him by one, 67 and 68.

Meanwhile Andrew Oldcorn and Andrew Raitt, two of the leading contenders, withdrew without hitting a ball in the third round.

Oldcorn, lying fourth just two strokes behind halfway leader Sven Struver, pulled out after going down with 'flu.

Then Raitt, two shots further back in 10th spot, felt he could not continue his chase for the £100,000 first prize because of a wrist problem.

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