Poulter went into the last two holes requiring a birdie on each to shoot the European Tour's first-ever 59.

He had to settle for par on each of those holes but that still left him in a good position to claim the title he won two years ago.

"I thought a 59 was definitely on," said Poulter.

"I made a good birdie on the ninth to be six under and thought 'wouldn't it be great to see my mug all over the back pages with 59 next to it?'.

"But I've never been as nervous as I was standing on the 17th tee trying to get a good drive away - not even in the two tournaments I've won - and unfortunately I didn't."

It was supposed to be Padraig Harrington's day at Olgiata Golf Club.

The Irishman gave up a holiday in Marbella to compete in Italy after he realised that he had a chance of overhauling last year's winner Retief Goosen at the top of the European money list.

Harrington moved to within �34,000 of Goosen - who is not competing in the Italian - after he took �500,000 for winning the Dunhill Links Championship.

A top four finish in Italy for Harrington would take the race to be Europe's top golfer all the way to the season's final event, the Volvo Masters at Valderrama next week.

But he was upstaged by a number of players - not least Poulter.

Earlier Paul Lawrie and Sweden's Patrik Sjoland equalled the 34-year-old course record at Olgiata with rounds of six under par 66.