Playing in Italy in October holds good memories for Matt Wallace. They may be a matter of hours away from getting considerably sweeter.

A year on from winning the Alps Tour Grand Final to claim a history-making sixth victory on the European satellite tour, the Moor Park Golf Club professional is currently taking a two-shot lead into the final round of the Italian Open as he seeks a stunning wire-to-wire triumph.

Rounds of 64 and 65 had seen the 27-year-old start the third round tied with Marcus Fraser at the top of the leaderboard, two shots clear of the rest of the field at Golf Club Milano. But while the Australian’s challenge faltered yesterday, Wallace again played with an assured confidence to thrive for the third consecutive day as he shot a four-under-par round of 67.

“I’d say we’re probably halfway there, halfway done, because Sunday is a different day,” he told the European Tour website after his round.

“I’m going to go out, fight as hard as I can and hopefully be standing here with the trophy tomorrow.

“Like I said yesterday and the day before, I’m playing some really nice stuff.”

Race to Dubai leader Tommy Fleetwood and Matthew Fitzpatrick were already making big moves in favourable scoring conditions by the time Wallace got his round underway – they were to shoot rounds of eight-under and seven-under to move to 13-under and 12-under respectively – but the Pinner-based professional opened with a birdie at the par five first for the third consecutive day.

With last week’s Dunhill Links winner Tyrell Hatton and defending champion Francesco Molinari also applying pressure further ahead – they were to both move to 15-under and be Wallace’s closest challengers at the end of the round – a second birdie followed at the par four fifth.

The only blemish of the Open de Portugal champion’s round was to come with a bogey four at seven, but that shot was retrieved at the par five ninth to regain the outright lead after being pegged back into a three-way tie for top shot.

Another birdie came in the shape of a putt from around 40 feet on 13, before he continued his record of making at least a four on the all the par five holes for the third day in a row to move to 17-under on 14.

It looked like that two-shot advantage over the field would be reduced on the final hole after Wallace got into trouble in the trees of the tee, but he did superbly well to save par to give his confidence another shot going into today’s final round.