The in-form Eugenio Chacarra leads the Open d’Italia after three rounds, with Tom McKibbin inside the top 10 after another solid round in Turin.
Spaniard Chacarra, chasing a second successive win on the DP World Tour after his KLM Open success a fortnight ago, shot 65 on Saturday to pull two ahead on 17 under par as long-time leader Joaquin Niemann faltered badly on the back nine.
Down native McKibbin enjoyed a third straight round in the 60s on Saturday.
The 23-year-old shot a bogey-free round of three-under-par 68, moving him inside the top 10 on the leaderboard. Birdies on the first and final holes bookended a solid round, as well as a birdie on the par three 13th for the second day in a row.
Matt Wallace followed up Friday’s course-record 62 at Circolo Golf Torino with a 67 to match Niemann’s three-round total of 15 under, with Scotland’s Richie Ramsay also in the top 10 on 11 under.
Wallace said: “From a mental standpoint, it was really calm. It was chill. It was efficient. We had mistakes in there, which we backed up and came out of the other side. Bounce-back birdie after hitting it in the water (at the 13th) so yeah, professional round.
“Tomorrow’s my day to go out there and try and win it and I’ll give it my all.”