The Englishman had three holes to play having authored a bogey-free round of five-under to the 15th hole, where he mixed in five birdies, including three in a row starting at the par-4 11th of Marco Simone that will host the Ryder Cup next year.

“I played well in patches. I've been lucky off the tee probably three times today,” Fitzpatrick said. “Just had a lie and got myself back in position and made a par, which I feel like looking at the scoring over the day, pars have been good scores. So yeah, to be honest I'm taking my chance when is I've had them, which is great. But just need to sharpen the driver.”

The 2023 host duties has helped attract some big names likely to be part of the European team under Luke Donald that will attempt to wrestle back the Cup named for Samuel Ryder, Rory McIlroy among them.

“We all went for dinner last night with Luke, Edoardo, Francesco, Thomas, Viktor, Matt, myself, Tyrrell, quite a few of us, and I think it was good,” McIlroy said of the informal Ryder Cup gathering. “It was good to catch up and talk about the golf course and talk about – Edoardo is doing our stats and for us to talk about what we excel at and what the Americans excel at and try to set the golf course up in a way that suits us more than them.”

"To be honest I'm taking my chance when is I've had them, which is great. But just need to sharpen the driver.” - Matt Fitzpatrick.

Runner-up to good friend Shane Lowry last week at Wentworth, McIlroy started on the back nine for round one and might have been questioning his decision to head to Italy after making the turn in one-over.

But the Northern Irishman found the front nine far more to his liking on his run back to the clubhouse, the World No.2 making an eagle at the par-4 3rd to spark some better play that saw him sit in a share of second, one shot back of Fitzpatrick.

“Probably that I shouldn't have stayed up so late last night. Felt like I was still half-asleep playing that front nine,” McIlroy said of his round.

“I think that eagle obviously ignited something and sort of kick started my round a little bit. I played some really good golf on the way in.”

McIlroy is joined by six others on four-under, with Alvaro Quiros and Joost Luiten the only players in the group still yet to finish their rounds. The contingent of players still with holes to play set to head out early Friday to complete their first rounds.

Scott Hend is the best of the Aussies at two-under in a share of 12th after completing 13 holes, the Queenslander rediscovering some form of late after a disastrous year on course.

Lucas Herbert, surely inspired to prove Trevor Immelman wrong for leaving him off the Presidents Cup team, is a shot back for Hend, while Jason Scrivener is the next best of the Australians at even par.