Renato Paratore stayed bogey free through 54 holes as he established a one shot lead heading into the final round of the 2020 Betfred British Masters hosted by Lee Westwood.
The Italian entered day three at Close House Golf Club with a one shot lead and while he had company at the top of the leaderboard throughout the day, a closing birdie handed him a 66 and a 16 under par total.
South African Justin Harding was his nearest challenger after also carding a 66, one clear of Dane Rasmus Højgaard, who also got round in five under.
England's Dale Whitnell was at 13 under, a shot clear of countrymen Ashley Chesters and Sam Horsfield - who carded the lowest round of the week with a 61.
As the European Tour resumed after more than four months away due to the coronavirus pandemic, the #GolfForGood initiative was given a boost as Jack Senior made a hole-in-one on the 14th to win £50,000 for the Sir Graham Wylie Foundation.
Betfred made the donation to the event's Official Charity after Senior sank a seven iron from 176 yards.
But the headlines will go to Paratore, who despite being just 23 is playing in his 159th event this week and seeking a second win after lifting the trophy at the 2017 Nordea Masters.
"I played really solid these three days, especially the short game which has helped me save some shots when I needed them, so I’m happy with that," he said.
"Fortunately I live in Dubai with my friend who is also on the European Tour and we played a lot of competitive rounds with each other after lockdown. I think this helped me to stay competitive.
"I played solid from tee to green and some putts helped me to keep things consistent so I think everything has helped me throughout these rounds. I am just really happy, we practise to be in contention so I can’t wait to get out there tomorrow."
Harding is also going in search of a second career title, while Højgaard is seeking his second of the 2020 Race to Dubai after becoming the third youngest winner in European Tour history at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
Horsfield carded a 59 playing with friends during the hiatus and he almost matched the feat with a competitive card in hand after starting the day nine shots off the lead.
He eagled each of the three par fives and added five birdies and a single bogey in a ten under par effort that had him one shot ahead in the clubhouse before the overnight leader had teed off.
But he was not alone for long as Paratore put his second to tap-in range at the second to join the lead 12 under.
Højgaard got to 11 under as he followed a birdie at the second with a tap-in at the sixth and he soon had Harding for company, as the 34-year-old recovered from a bogey on the second with putts from ten and 15 feet on the next two holes.
Højgaard briefly joined the lead with a two putt birdie on the seventh but Paratore holed from 15 feet on the sixth and led by two when he got up and down from over the back of the next.
There was a tie as Højgaard got up and down from over the back of the tenth and then put an approach to three feet at the 11th, and it was a three way share as Harding eagled the par five tenth from ten feet.
Paratore nudged ahead from eight feet at the 12th but Harding made the most of the short par four 13th and Højgaard made a two putt birdie at the par five 17th.
The 19-year-old then gave the shot back on the next and soon found himself two back as Paratore holed from 12 feet on the last to edge back ahead.
Whitnell chipped in for birdie at the second and seventh and after dropping a shot on the 13th, finished birdie-birdie to keep his hopes of a maiden title very much alive.
Chesters carded a 68 to sit a shot ahead of England's Robert Rock and two clear of another home favourite in Ben Stow, Northern Ireland's Jonathan Caldwell and Pole Adrian Meronk.
