Alexander Levy produced a brilliant front nine to surge into a one-shot lead midway through the third round of the weather-affected Italian Open at Golf Club Milano.
The Frenchman had started round three six shots behind second-round leader Chris Paisley but turned in 29 and added three pars on the back nine to sit at 14 under after 12 holes when play was suspended due to darkness at 1926.
Paisley turned in level par to sit a shot off the lead alongside local favourite Francesco Molinari, Masters Tournament winner Danny Willett and his fellow Englishman Chris Hanson.
Lengthy delays on Thursday and Friday meant that half the field had yet to start their second rounds on Saturday morning but clear skies in Monza on day three increased hopes of completing a full 72-hole tournament on Sunday.
The players will be back in place at 0730 in the morning with a dramatic day in store and 30 players within five shots of the lead.
Levy signalled his intent as he gave his drive on the first the full treatment and then put his approach to 12 feet for an opening eagle which he followed with further gains on the second and fifth.
The two-time European Tour winner put his tee-shot on the seventh to five feet and approach on the next to eight to join the summit before taking the lead on his own after leaving his lengthy eagle putt inches from the cup on the par five ninth.
"It's not finished but I started well, it was really good to play like that today," he said. "I played well the first two days but I started really strongly today.
"A good start, nice eagle on the first, nice birdie on the second and I kept going like that all day really. I'm really happy with the way I've played golf the last three weeks.
I don't know what will happen tomorrow but it's just nice to be playing some really good golf again - Alexander Levy
"I was injured for three or four months and to come back like that is really nice.
"I don't know what will happen tomorrow but it's just nice to be playing some really good golf again."
Paisley started the round with a one-shot lead but surrendered it with a bogey on the first and Willett put the pressure on by holing from 12 feet on the second to edge ahead.
Paisley showed his mettle, though, as he followed Willett in to leave the duo locked together at 13 under.
Hanson was the third member of the final group and he birdied the third and rolled in a left-to-righter in the twilight on the ninth to join the pair. Paisley parred the same hole while Willett will return to putt in the morning.
"It was tricky to read the greens, with the fading light it's always tough to get the pace," said Willett. "I was rolling it pretty good, I just didn't quite get it going and shaved a few holes. So it was a bit frustrating.
"We need a real good day of weather tomorrow because there are a lot of guys with 27 holes, at least, left to play.
"It was just a frustrating nine holes really. I hit it average, not great, but tomorrow is another day."
Molinari - the 2006 champion - was being followed by huge galleries and he delighted them by picking up four shots in his first ten holes.
It was just a frustrating nine holes really. I hit it average, not great, but tomorrow is another day - Danny Willett
The 33 year old made a birdie-bogey start and had his irons dialled in, putting wonderful approaches into the fourth, fifth and sixth for a hat-trick of further gains. Another excellent iron off the tee then brought a birdie on the par three tenth before the horn sounded.
South Korean Byeong-hun An was at 12 under having completed 13 holes on his 25th birthday, with Swede Robert Karlsson and England's Richard Bland through 12 holes.
Spanish duo Alejandro Cañizares and Nacho Elvira completed the group two off the lead having played ten and nine holes respectively.
