David Duval begins the final round six shots off the pace.

They are the top-ranked players in the world, both under age 30 and pre-tournament favorites to win The Masters.

But both have been quiet this week, lurking well in back of the leaders. Only some back-pedaling by the top contenders gives them a chance heading into the final round.

And really, this should be no surprise. In their brief but successful careers, Duval and Woods have been in the top 10 at the same tournament heading into the final round just nine times. They have yet to have a final-round showdown.

Woods enters in a tie for 13th after a third-round 70, five shots behind leader Jose Maria Olazabal. Duval is tied for 17th, six shots back, after a 70.

"He knows we can't focus on each other," Woods said of himself and Duval. "We need to get off to a good, quick start and build some momentum. We have to try to get where we can contend with nine holes to go."

"Nothing ever surprises me," Duval said. "You never know what's going to happen. I was just trying to get back into it. I might have a chance. I want the course to be hard, because if you're going to get a good round going, you can make up more ground."

Duval showed signs of life with a 33 on the back nine that included three straight birdies. Woods made an eagle at the par-5 13th and a birdie at the 15th to also make a mini-charge.

Saying that he didn't feel safe with a nine-shot lead when he won in 1997, Woods believes several players can come from behind.

"All you need to do is make a few bogeys and give guys some hope," said Woods of the leaders. "The last two rounds I've gotten off to slow starts. I've parred the first seven holes both days. I need to get a few birdies early and get some momentum."

And if this rivalry thing is to ever truly take form, it needs to get started.

"I can't really see that there's a rivalry yet," said Jack Nicklaus, a pretty good authority on the subject. "One fellow's won one major championship (Woods) and the other fellow hasn't won any. That doesn't mean they aren't the two best players out there right now. But if you want to create a rivalry, wait until one wins The Masters and another one wins the U.S. Open. Then you've got a rivalry."

Nicklaus had the daunting task early in his career of having to compete against the beloved Arnold Palmer. He later dueled with such luminaries as Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller and Tom Watson.

"I think the reason Arnold and I became a rivalry was because Arnold was winning most of the major championships at the time," Nicklaus said. "And I came along in '62 and won my first major by beating Arnold in a playoff (at the U.S. Open), then came back in '63 and won The Masters. So all of a sudden, it was two fellows winning major championships against each other."

From 1960 to 1966, Palmer and Nicklaus won six of seven Masters, with Gary Player taking the other. Palmer and Nicklaus each won a U.S. Open in that span, and combined for three British Opens. Nicklaus also claimed a PGA Championship.

No wonder that rivalry was so good.

Woods and Duval are nowhere close. At least not yet. They have not been winning at the same time. Woods won seven of his eight PGA Tour titles, including the 1997 Masters, before Duval had even won a single tournament. Since Duval went on his run of 11 victories in 34 events, Woods has won just twice in that span.

"It's hard to say that we have a rivalry right now," Duval said. "You don't want to leave out an Ernie Els or Phil Mickelson or Justin (Leonard) or Davis (Love) or a few others.

"And the big reason you can't put a rivalry label on it is he and I haven't come down to the last nine holes here or some other major event. Until that comes to pass, it's hard to make a comparison between and Nicklaus-Palmer or Nicklaus-Watson."

It would be nice to see such a duel, although it may have to wait for another major.

Bob Harig, who covers golf for the St. Petersburg Times, writes a Tuesday golf column for ESPN Golf Online.