VIRGINIA WATER, England -- Eleven years after winning the title as a 20-year-old prodigy, Matteo Manassero moved into contention to capture the prestigious BMW PGA Championship again by shooting a 9-under 63 to take a three-stroke lead after the third round Saturday.
It would cap a career revival for the 31-year-old Italian, who as a teenager was widely expected to become a golfing superstar only for his game to go into freefall -- dropping Manassero onto the third-tier Alps Tour and to a world ranking of 1,705.
Back on the European tour this year, he won in South Africa in March and now is in sight of a victory over a stacked field -- containing Rory McIlroy -- at the tour's flagship event.
Manassero, now ranked No. 101, pumped his fist after curling in a 12-foot putt at the last to seal a birdie-birdie-birdie finish and a back nine of 31 on the storied West Course. He made seven birdies and an eagle 3 at No. 4 and was 18 under for the tournament.
McIlroy shot a 66 after getting up and down for par at No. 18 when he hit into the water on his second shot. The No. 3-ranked Northern Irishman, who won the event in 2014, was tied for second place with Billy Horschel, whose round of 65 included a run of seven straight birdies -- featuring holed putts totaling 130 feet -- from No. 8.
Overnight leader Matthew Baldwin, who is ranked No. 363 and was dropping off packages for Amazon two years ago, shot a 71 and was alone in fourth place after a round that began in pouring rain and finished under a sunny sky outside London.