Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell saw his challenge falter at the Italian Open as a round of 71 saw him drop from joint-third to a share of tenth in Rome as Matthew Fitzpatrick retained a one-shot lead.
Fitzpatrick was one over after 10 holes before a big finish saw him fire four birdies in his last six holes.
The 2016 Ryder Cup star's round of 68 moved him to 13 under, one clear of America's Kurt Kitayama and two ahead of Scot Robert MacIntyre.
Fitzpatrick has four runner-up finishes worldwide in the 2019 season so far but will be going in search of a fifth professional career win on Sunday.
"To put myself one in front gives me a little bit of help," he told europeantour.com.
"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."
An opening birdie from inside 10 feet was the perfect start for Fitzpatrick but he dropped shots at the second and 10th before holing a five-foot putt for birdie at the 13th and sandwiching a long putt on the 16th with gains at the par-five 15th and 17th.
MacIntyre also has three runner-up finishes in 2019 and will be looking for a first win on a top-flight tour after carding a bogey-free 64, one shot better than Kitayama.
England's Matt Wallace and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger were at 10 under, a shot clear of Dane Soren Kjeldsen.
World number five Justin Rose had a day to forget, with a seven over par 78 leaving the Englishman 13 shots off the lead.
