Son Inspires Carter To Dutch Open Lead

Britain´s David Carter attributed the influence of his four-year-old son for helping him to a two-shot lead at the halfway stage.

Britain's David Carter attributed the influence of his four-year-old son for helping him to a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Dutch Open on Friday.

A second successive five-under 65 put Carter on 10-under 130, two ahead of New Zealand's Steve Alker, Dutchman Joost Luiten and Swede Alex Noren.

"My career has spiralled downwards and you need to be inspired to succeed," Carter told reporters. "Last week my four-year-old son Leo watched me for three rounds with his mum (at the Scandinavian Masters) and that gave me inspiration.

"He always asks if I have bought him a present. I don't want to be going home with nothing to show for my week."

The 35-year-old Briton's fortunes have dipped since he and Nick Faldo won the 1998 World Cup for England.

In the same year he also claimed his only individual title in Europe, the Irish Open, by beating eight-times number one Colin Montgomerie in a playoff.

Carter's successes came a year after he underwent emergency brain surgery following a water-chute spill in South Africa.

Last season he narrowly retained his playing card after scrambling in at the final counting event.

When a back injury forced the South African-born Englishman to pull out of the Scottish Open in July, during a run of eight missed cuts out of nine, Carter wondered if he might have to look for another career.

While he has started to play better since returning from injury, he still lies 186th on the money list.

A return to a long putter and discarding his driver this week to maintain accuracy over the tight Kennemer course reaped dividends.

Noren moved alongside Carter after an eagle on the second, his 11th, but added two bogeys for a 67. Luiten equalled the course record of 64 while Alker returned a second consecutive 66.

Bernhard Langer's 17-year-old son Stefan improved on his opening 98 with an 91 to be 49-over-par, while Langer himself shot a 71 to lie eight strokes off the lead.