Francesco Molinari was on the brink of history as he opened up a three-shot lead at the midway stage of the final round of the Italian Open.
No Italian player has won their national Open twice since it joined the European Tour in 1972 but the 2006 champion turned in 31 to get to 21 under and establish some breathing space between himself and England's Danny Willett.
The Masters Tournament champion was blemish-free on his own front nine but he could not keep pace with Molinari, who had huge galleries following him at Golf Club Milano.
A victory in Monza would be the fourth of Molinari's career and his first since he won the Reale Seguros Open de España in 2012.
Willett had two birdies on his front nine as he finalises his preparations for the Ryder Cup to sit two shots ahead of England's Chris Paisley and Frenchman Alexander Levy.
Englishman Tommy Fleetwood fired a blemish-free 64 to set the clubhouse target at 15 under and was at that mark alongside Spaniard Nacho Elvira, a shot clear of Richard Bland, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Alejandro Cañizares, Thomas Linard and defending champion Rikard Karlberg.
Molinari had picked up three shots in eight holes as he finished his third round in the morning - including a stunning holed bunker shot on the last - and he picked up where he left off.
The 33 year old put his approach on the first to 15 feet and holed a curling right-to lefter for an eagle and a two-shot lead.
Willett responded with a birdie on the second but Molinari followed him in from five feet and sent the home crowd into raptures once more.
Levy made his first birdie of the day from 15 feet on the next and Molinari did very well to get up and down for par after putting his tee-shot over the back of the green.
An approach to tap-in range on the fourth from Willett cut the gap to one before there was high drama on the fifth as Willett and Molinari both made brilliant up-and-downs with Levy surrendering a double-bogey after hitting an advertising board.
Molinari holed a 15-footer on the sixth to become the first man this week to get to 20 under and re-establish his two-shot cushion.
A chip to tap-in range then produced another birdie on the ninth and the leader was in control.
Levy had recouped a shot on the seventh to join Paisley who was one under for his round after ten holes.
