Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland went head to head in an all-star European showdown at St Andrews - and they will do it again on Sunday for the Claret Jug.
McIlroy, 33, will go out in the final round on a championship for only the second time since his fourth major victory in the US PGA in 2014.
Hovland, 24, has yet to win his first major but it is only a matter of time, and he will hope his time is now as the duo separated themselves a little from the field with rounds of six under par 66.
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The pair hold a four shot lead over the chasing pack.
Asked about the significance of winning on Sunday, McIlroy told Sky Sports: “It would mean everything because of what I have been through the last few years, trying to get the fifth one.
“I have a lot of belief in myself, I know I can do it again. I just need to go out in my own little world and shoot a good score that I know I can do around here.”
Already a Claret Jug winner in 2014 at Hoylake, the Ulsterman has been yearning to add to more majors to his glittering CV and he was roared around the Old Course by thousands of fans as he carded a second 66 of the week.
This year has shown real signs of progress in his quest and he is now poised to deliver on the consistency in his game by following in the footsteps of his hero Tiger Woods and winning on the Old Course at St Andrews.
A splashed in eagle from the bunker on 10 - where Shane Lowry had earlier chipped in the second of two eagles back to back - moved McIlroy to the top of the leaderboard after playing partner Viktor Hovland had earlier made his move with four birdies on the spin from the third.
Hovland failed to match McIlroy's birdie on the par-five 15th and that gave the Holywood star the outright lead.
There was drama at the 17th, the famous Road Hole, when Hovland's second shot ran over the back and onto the gravel path.
Then McIlroy got a flyer out of the rough and was fortunate that his ball struck the wall behind the green and bounced back far enough for him to get a swing for his next shot.
Although he coaxed it onto the green, Hovland got his chip in close and made par, while McIlroy dropped his first shot of the day.
Both fired at the green off the tee on 18 and both made it on, with the Norwegian leaving himself a 40-footer for eagle and McIlroy a more difficult putt from the front and over a slope.
The latter made easy work of it to finish with a birdie, and Hovland followed him in on the same number to ensure they will go out together again on Sunday.
Behind them, overnight leader Cameron Smith three-putted the 1st and struggled with his game throughout after a sublime 64 on Friday.
The Aussie stayed in the fight but after a level par 72 is four shots behind McIlroy and Hovland now, while Cameron Young's closing three holes left him even further behind.
World number one Scottie Scheffler was among those who threatened to make a quantum leap forward on moving day. But he is part of a high quality chasing pack who all have to out-gun the in-form McIlroy, who looks focused on taking away perhaps the greatest prize of his career.
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