Childhood friends Brett Drewitt and Matthew Stieger say there will be no holding back when they face off in the final round of the Victorian Open golf tournament on Sunday.
Drewitt, from Inverell in northern New South Wales, will take a one-shot lead into the final round ahead of Stieger, who grew up in nearby Narrabri.
They will be joined in the final group at Thirteenth Beach by 2013 OneAsia Order of Merit winner Matthew Griffin from Victoria.
Chasing his first professional win, Drewitt drained an eight-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to card a two-under-par 70 and move to five-under 211.
“The battle of the country NSW boys,” said Drewitt, who intends to use his long-time friendship with Stieger to his advantage.
“I think you’ll see a friendly match-up but we’re going to be trying to beat each other at the same time.
“We’ve played a lot of golf together.
“I know his game like the back of my hand so I’m going to put a lot of pressure on him.”
Having stepped out of the amateur ranks a year before Drewitt, Stieger made an immediate impression by winning the NSW PGA Championship in his sixth start as a professional.
He bogeyed his final hole on Saturday in a two-under 70, but refused to get mad about it.
“It’s about staying in the moment and not thinking too far ahead. Just enjoying it really,” said Stieger.
“Like making a bogey and laughing about it rather than getting angry and making another bogey the following hole.”
Griffin (68) and Terry Pilkadaris (73) are tied for third on 213, one shot ahead of left-hander Richard Green who shot an impressive 67 on Saturday.
“I’ve been wanting to win this tournament since I was an amateur,” said Green, who reverted to an old putter this week to overcome recent woes on the greens.
“I’m desperate to keep playing well and I’ve still got a couple of years to go I reckon.”