Italian Open

Fraser edges ahead of Molinari and Colsaerts

ESPN staff

September 21, 2013

Marcus Fraser went 11 under after his third round in Turin © Getty Images

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Marcus Fraser did not drop a single shot as he hit 68 to take a one-stroke lead at the Italian Open over Francesco Molinari and Nicolas Colsaerts.

Fraser hit four birdies and parred the last six holes in his flawless round. Swede Joakim Lagergren is also tied for second on 10 under after shooting a five-under 67 that contained eight birdies and three bogeys, while Felipe Aguilar and Ireland's Simon Thornton are a further shot back.

Turin native Molinari, the 2006 champion who is chasing a fairytale win at the Circolo Golf Torino club he became a member of aged just eight, was tied for the lead overnight and started in perfect style with a birdie on the first.

However Molinari would only add one more, along with a bogey with his score improved by just one shot.

Colsaerts, whose opening-round 65 gave him a share of the lead before a 71 on Friday, was two shots back before putts from eight feet on the par-three eighth and 20ft on the par-five ninth.

But the Belgian squandered birdie chances on the 10th and 13th before making one on the 14th.

A birdie on the 14th brought Molinari within one of the lead after his pitch into the greenside bunker on the ninth gave him his only dropped shot, but he narrowly failed to pick up another stroke on the 15th.

Molinari reached the clubhouse one shot off Fraser's lead, with Colsaerts dropping back from 11-under to sit alongside the Italian after bogeying the last.

Italian Open leaderboard - third round complete: