Rory McIlroy sprinted down the 18th as darkness fell to card a closing birdie which gave him a one-stroke lead at the halfway stage of the Italian Open.

US Open champion Fitzpatrick looked set to retain the lead on eight under despite some scrappy play in his 69.

But McIlroy’s eagle at the 12th and three further birdies – despite a bogey on 15 – saw him move one ahead.

While McIlroy, defending champion Nicolai Hojgaard and their other playing partner Francesco Molinari stepped on the gas late on, several competitors will have to complete their second rounds on Saturday morning.

However, it seems as though the cut will fall at one over at Rome’s Marco Simone club, which will stage next year’s Ryder Cup.

McIlroy produces superb early escapes

Four-time major winner McIlroy struggled early on as he needed superb escapes to rescue par from thick greenside rough at the second and fourth holes.

While he rolled in a six-foot putt for birdie at the fifth, he gave the shot away after a missed green on eight and his gain at the ninth was also immediately squandered at the next.

But another sensational pitch yielded a birdie at the par-four 11th before his eagle at the next – after a superb long iron approach to 15 feet – suddenly moved him to within a stroke of Ryder Cup team-mate Fitzpatrick.

The Northern Irishman drew level by rolling in a 25-foot birdie putt on the 14th and while a pulled approach led to his third bogey of the day at the 15th, McIlroy drove the par-four next to get on terms with Fitzpatrick before his up and down in fading light at the 18th saw him move into a one-stroke lead.

McIlroy, who clinched a third PGA Tour FedEx Cup title last month, is also leading the DP World Tour’s rankings and victory this week would increase his advantage at the top of the standings.

Fitzpatrick, who completed a opening 65 early on Friday morning which left him a shot ahead of former Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn and Dutchman Joost Luiten, bemoaned some “inconsistent” play in his second round.

A couple of early birdies increased the US Open champion’s lead as he moved to eight under only for him to bogey three out of four holes from the seventh.

The English star, whose brother Alex is sharing 21st spot on three under, responded with five straight birdies to move into a four-stroke lead as he stood on the 16th tee, but then dropped successive shots before failing to take advantage of the par-five final hole after missing the green with his approach.

“I’ve played some really good stuff, (made) some sloppy mistakes which was obviously disappointing but plenty of birdies, which was always a positive,” the 28-year-old told Sky Sports.

Fitzpatrick’s compatriot Tom Lewis is in third place on seven under after carding a 65, with France’s Victor Perez a shot further back.

Tyrrell Hatton’s 65 moved him into a share of fifth on five under in a group which includes European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, whose 68 included a triple bogey at the 16th after he played the wrong ball from the rough.