The Australian Open is set for a classic finish with Adam Scott and Stuart Appleby facing off against each other in the final pairing at 12.25.

Of course, anything can happen in golf but the two great mates gave a glimpse of what may be to come with a seesawing battle late Saturday at only a slightly more benign NSW Golf Club.

Scott will start the day two strokes ahead of Appleby after carding consecutive birdies on his final two holes.

Scott completed a second-round 66 on Saturday morning to trail by two at the halfway stage.

He led by as many as three shots in the third round before back-to-back bogeys at the 15th and 16th holes saw Appleby draw level.

Appleby was struggling with his game compared to his immaculate performances with a pair of 66’s in the wind affected first two days.

Winning the Stonehaven Cup would be a major boost to either man, with both admitting to basically “shitty” years in the US.

“It’s there for me with a good round tomorrow. For an Aussie it’s like the next major in a sense. It’d mean a lot to me at any point but I think it’d be great coming off a pretty ordinary year, ” a weary Scott said after his 29 holes yesterday.

”I’ve just got to keep my head on and not do anything stupid. We’re a fair way out in front. We could get the gloves off tomorrow and have a bit of a ding-dong. You’ve got to want it badly. It’s great to see us both playing well because we’ve both had shitty years.”

The contest really does shape as a two man battle, with Nick O’Hern sitting alone in third place seven shots behind Scott.

The Open will be televisied from midday on Channel 10 and ONE HD.

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