DP World Tour: Gunner Wiebe leads Italian Open by one

Weibe carded a two under 69 around Adriatic Golf Club Cervia, taking him to nine under for the tournament.

Meanwhile, Germany's Jannik de Bruyn made the most of his late call-up to the Italian Open by remaining firmly in contention for a first DP World Tour title. De Bruyn carded a second consecutive 67.

The 24-year-old had been preparing to compete in a Challenge Tour event in France this week before finding out he had made it into the field in Italy.

"I was in France at the Challenge Tour event and I got a call on Tuesday to say I was in the field here," De Bruyn said.

"It was a bit stressful. I only played nine holes in a practice round but I just enjoy teeing it up here. Every chance that I get it's nice."

Wiebe finished runner-up in the British Masters last year to secure a place in the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, but has made just seven cuts in 24 starts since, with a best finish of 41st this season.

The world number 568 had shared the overnight lead following an opening 64 and carded three birdies and one bogey in a second round of 69 which was good enough for the outright lead.

"The conditions were really tough," Wiebe said. "The course is starting to firm up quite a bit.

"You just have to pay attention. There's not really a shot where you can — I don't want to say mail it in — but you have to be on your mental side from the get-go with how tricky the wind was.

"Arguably I might have played better today than yesterday. You can judge by score, sure, but I think the way I played today was a bit sharper."

Sweden's Marcus Kinhult, who lost in a play-off for the KLM Open on Sunday, lies two shots off the lead on seven under alongside South Africa's Brandon Stone, Spain's Adrian Otaegui and Denmark's Sebastian Friedrichsen.

Scotland's Richie Ramsay and English trio Dan Bradbury, Andrew Johnston and Callum Shinkwin lead the British challenge on five under.