Graeme McDowell will be reunited with Ryder Cup playing partner Victor Dubuisson when he takes a one shot lead into the final round of the 2020 Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers.
Captain Paul McGinley asked Major Champion McDowell to mentor rookie Dubuisson for the 2014 contest at Gleneagles and the duo went on to take two points from two in the foursomes as Europe romped to a third consecutive victory.
They will be together on the first tee again on day four at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, after McDowell carded a 66 to get to -12, one shot clear of Dubuisson who fired a bogey free 65.
Malaysia's Gavin Green was at -9, two shots ahead of defending champion Dustin Johnson, Italy's Renato Paratore and Frenchman Victor Perez.
It is nearly six years since McDowell claimed the latest of his ten European Tour wins and he has recorded just eight top tens since winning a second Open de France title in 2014.
He has had two worldwide victories in that time, however, including one last season, and showed all the class that helped him win the 2010 U.S. Open Championship as he led after 54 holes for the tenth time in his European Tour career - with five wins from that position.
"We shared a car up to the course this morning and I was chatting with him and I always look out for him, great experiences with him in 2014 at Gleneagles," McDowell said of Dubuisson.
"He's such a great guy, he hasn't had the best form the last few years and I'm really, really happy to see him at the top of the leaderboard and looking forward to being with him tomorrow. It's going to be tough to try and play tough against him but we're both competitors and we'll go out there and try and do our job.
I always tell my kids we live in a nice house because daddy can putt, that's about the heart of it, really. The putter's been a little ice cold the last sort of two rounds but I got it heated back up on the back nine today and I'm going to have to putt well to have a chance tomorrow."
Dubuisson got as high as 15th on the Official World Golf Ranking in 2015 but is currently 478th, his lowest position since 2011. He missed most of last year with a wrist injury, and is notorious for losing his temper with himself. He has changed back to the Taylormade clubs he used 2 years ago.
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