Struver leads in Madeira

Struver: Lean years

Leaders:
-6 S Struver (Ger)
-5 H Otto (SA)
-4 G Bourdy (Fra)
-4 Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra)
-4 P Gustafsson (Swe)
-4 F Widmark (Swe)

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German Sven Struver fired a round of 66 to take the lead after the opening day's play in the Madeira Island Open at Santo da Serra.

The 40-year-old earned a one-stroke lead over the field with his six-under-par round, with Hennie Otto of South Africa heading the pack.

Struver has been through qualifying school for the past four seasons and has not won on the tour for a decade, but dropped just a single shot at the 18th - his ninth - on his way to the top of the leaderboard.

Otto, who in January eagled the final hole to come through the African qualifying event for July's Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, is trying to

regain his European Tour card after losing his fully exempt status.

He was level through his first nine holes but a startling run of five birdies in six holes from the first took gave him a 67, one ahead of a group of players on four-under.

Frenchmen Gregory Bourdy and Michael Lorenzo-Vera - last year's Challenge Tour number one - and Swedes Peter Gustafsson and Fredrik Widmark share third place after rounds of 68.

Pre-tournament favourite Bradley Dredge, who needs to win to propel him into the world's top-50 and a place in the Masters, is nicely placed at two-under after a round of 70.

Three players were unable to complete their first rounds before darkness on a day of wind and rain. They included France's Raphael Eyraud, who was two under with two holes remaining.