Italian Matteo Manassero played nine under par with 63 strokes in the third round and goes into the final day of the BMW PGA Championship with a three-stroke lead.

Manassero made an eagle and seven birdies at Wentworth in Surrey to finish 18 under par, the lowest 54-hole par score in tournament history.

Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy played a round of 66 strokes and moved up to second place with 15 under par, along with American Billy Horschel (65).

“Under the conditions, it was one of the best rounds I have ever played,” said Manassero, who won this tournament in 2013.

“It rained a lot on the first nine holes and the course was soft, but also long.

“There aren’t many birdies out there, but I made the most of them. It was a fantastic round.”

He added: “I have seen the rankings and I know what to expect on Sunday.

“It’s a great position to be in. It’s not going to be an easy task and I played great golf today and we’ll see how it goes tomorrow.”

Like Manaserro, McIlroy managed an eagle on the fourth hole and added four birdies.

“I played well. Another solid day. My lowest score of the week, no bogeys,” said McIlroy.

“I also tried to keep up with Matteo. I know I need another low blow on Sunday to try to catch him.”

Englishman Matt Baldwin is 14 under par after a 71, while his compatriot Aaron Rai is 12 under par after a 66.