Two-time major winner Martin Kaymer lived up to his billing as pre-tournament favourite by surging into a share of the lead heading into the final round of the Italian Open in Monza.
Kaymer began the day three shots off the lead but the German wiped out his deficit with birdies at the first four holes on his way to a third round of 65 to reach 17 under par, the same mark achieved by France’s Romain Wattel and Sweden’s Jens Fahrbring.
Austria's Bernd Wiesberger, Paraguay's Fabrizio Zanotti and Denmark's Lucas Bjerregaard shared fourth place on 15 under, with first-round leader Nicolas Colsaerts another two shots back after a second consecutive 70.
“If you play a fun course like this, with crowds like this, and play the way I did then it is difficult not to enjoy the day,” said Kaymer, who is back playing in Europe after failing to qualify for the lucrative FedEx Cup play-offs this season. “I had a very good start and then played well throughout so it was a very good day.
“I am looking forward to tomorrow — it will be a challenge to myself and a challenge to beat my opponents. I am up there with a chance to win on Sunday and that’s all you want at the end of the day.
“It’s important that you don’t look too far ahead and start to think about what could happen. You also don’t want to rush into an aggressive mode too soon. It might be the case that some of the guys who are out before me make a really fast start so it is a fine line to figure out what the best plan is. You have to also enjoy the day and I think I have enough experience of being in this position to enjoy it.
“It will be interesting to see what happens over the first nine holes and to see how I feel mentally. Once you get on the back nine you have to be a bit more spontaneous and adjust to the situation around you.”
Fahrbring, who shared the halfway lead with Bjerregaard despite suffering the after-effects of a fever picked up in Kazakhstan last week, looked set to hold the outright lead after four birdies in six holes from the 12th.
However, the 31-year-old, who won the D+D Real Czech Challenge in May on the Challenge Tour but had missed the cut in all four of his previous European Tour events this season, carded his third bogey of the day on the 18th to record a 68.
The world number 302 said: “It was so much fun out there today. The crowds were great and it is always so much fun to play in front of a lot of people.
“I was a little nervous over the first few holes today but then I hit a great shot into the fifth and made birdie and that was a real turning point for me. I was really relaxed after that and enjoyed the round. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.
“I know I don’t have to be perfect, which helps. I know I can make a good score around this course and hopefully I can shoot the best score tomorrow.”
Ireland's Peter Lawrie scored a two under 70 and now sits on 11 under overall, tied for 16th and six shots off the lead.
Paul McGinley scored four under today, putting him on eight under par for the tournament.
Padraig Harrington sits one shot further back on seven under, after his third round score of three under par.
