COLIN MONTGOMERIE and Tiger Woods will have the showdown everybody wanted after a dazzling day's golf in Heidelberg.
Woods fired a 64, but Montgomerie responded with a 65 to lead by one going into the final round of the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open.
But keep an eye out for Hampshire hot shot, Justin Rose, currently lying in third place after an impressive round of 66, to sit menacingly three strokes behind Montgomerie.
The 21-year-old from Hook has enjoyed three wins already this season - the latest of these was in Japan earlier this month.
Rose has shaken off the troubled start he endured to his professional career, to establish himself as one of the most consistent performers on the European Tour.
At the 1998 Open Woods was third and Rose fourth - as a 17-year-old amateur remember - but their career paths then went in opposite directions.
Rose turned professional immediately, only to miss his first 21 halfway cuts over the course of nearly a year, and had to go to qualifying school in Spain to regain his Tour card.
But what would have broken many youngsters did not break him and he has come back magnificently to win twice in South Africa at the start of the season and then in Japan two weeks ago.
From 444th in the world 19 months ago Rose is now 81st and says of finding himself chasing two greats of the game: "I looked at the leaderboard and thought it was fantastic.
"If I make a lot of birdies I'll be trying to win down the stretch, but just to be in contention is the aim.
"One of my goals this year was not to back away and I'm not daunted."
However, as for Montgomerie, the Scot goes into the concluding 18 holes "seriously concerned" back trouble will stop him giving the world number one, and defending champion, a run for his money.
Montgomerie, who twice took time out for treatment while keeping alive his hopes of a first-ever victory over Woods, said: "If I get some flexibility in my back I have a chance of competing.
"I have a very weak back. I never thought my career would come to this, but I'm seriously concerned that I will not be able to compete."
The 38-year-old was doubtful before the start of the £1.6m tournament and when he felt more pain bending over on the third green admitted: "I never thought I was going to continue."
But Australian physiotherapist, Dale Richardson, came to his aid with embrocation at the sixth, then some more manipulation after the ninth hole.
Montgomerie also downed two more pain-killing tablets to go with the four he took before play and to achieve the second best score of the round in the circumstances was phenomenal.
Yet the fact the best score came from Woods keeps him as favourite for what would be a third win in four years at the event.
Montgomerie is on the 17-under-par mark of 199 and Woods 16-under, exactly as he was 12 months ago.
He was also one behind then, but shot a 66 to Eduardo Romero's 77 and won by four.
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