Matthew Fitzpatrick produced a blistering finish to maintain his one shot advantage heading into the final round of the Italian Open.
The Englishman arrived at Olgiata Golf Club with a narrow 36 hole lead but looked in danger of being left behind as rookies Kurt Kitayama and Robert MacIntyre surged up the leaderboard.
But the five time European Tour winner birdied four of his last six holes in a 68 to get to 13 under and put himself in pole position for a maiden Rolex Series victory.
American Kitayama was his nearest challenger after a 65, one clear of Scot Robert MacIntyre who carded a 64.
Matt Wallace and Bernd Wiesbger have ten European Tour wins between them and they were at ten under, one shot ahead of four-time winner Søren Kjeldsen.
‘To put myself one in front gives me a little bit of help,’ he said. ‘I’m just looking forward and I’m ready to go already.
‘Coming down the hill on the 12th it didn’t feel like I should be one over. I didn’t hit as many good shots as I would have liked around the turn so that cost me a little bit and put me back.
‘To finish the way I did was great.’
MacIntyre also has three runner up finishes this season since coming through the European Challenge Tour, while Kitayama has won twice since progressing through all three stages of the Qualifying School.
The duo both sit in the top 30 on the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex, and Sunday could go a long way to deciding who gets crowned the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year.
Erik van Rooyen played his last 10 holes in five under par to finish his round one under par. He shares in a share of 10th and was left to rue a triple on the eighth.
The high-flying South African will start Sunday six back.
