Matt Fitzpatrick leads Italian Open on day three with Rory McIlroy one behind

Matt Fitzpatrick will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the DS Automobiles Italian Open after the Englishman made a crucial birdie on the final hole on Saturday at Marco Simone Golf Club.

Fitzpatrick, 28, began the third round one shot behind Rory McIlroy and on a difficult day in Rome, it took him until the 10th hole to make his first birdie having bogeyed the 6th hole.

The US Open champion, who missed the cut at this tournament in 2021, made another birdie on the 12th hole. He was floating around the top of a very saturated DP World Tour leaderboard.

Aaron Rai shot the lowest round of the day on Saturday to propel himself into contention. He shot a bogey-free 65 which included eagles on the par-5 9th and par-5 12th holes.

Rai set the early clubhouse target of 9-under-par. Victor Perez experienced a number of highs and lows on the back nine at the 2023 Ryder Cup venue which began with a bogey on 10 and a birdie at 11.

.@MattFitz94 will take a one shot lead into the final round #DS79OpendItalia pic.twitter.com/QgWDpYtK7P

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 17, 2022

The Frenchman, a two-time winner on the DP World Tour, reached 10-under-par before making a double-bogey on the 14th hole. But he put this behind him to roll in a staggering 76-foot eagle putt on the short par-4 16th hole.

The 30-year-old was back to 10-under but after a bogey on the 17th and a peculiar decision to hit a driver with his second shot on the par-5 18th hole, he signed for an erratic 69 to sit two behind Fitzpatrick on 8-under.

It didn't take McIlroy as long as Fitzpatrick to find his first birdie, picking one up on the 6th hole, but he had to wait until the 16th hole to make his second birdie.

The Northern Irishman, making his debut at this event this season, made a number of spirited putts in the third round such as saving par from 13 feet on hole 15.

Despite making a bogey on the tough par-3 17th hole, McIlroy made a birdie on 18 to settle for a round of 71. He, Fitzpatrick and Rai will make up the final group on Sunday.

There are eight players within four shots of the leader with 18 holes remaining such as Lucas Herbert (-8), Bob MacIntyre (-7) and Tyrrell Hatton (-6).