Sean Knapp and Nathan Smith started playing golf together 15 years ago, when Knapp was beginning his run as the most dominant amateur player in Western Pennsylvania and Smith was a 14-year-old sophomore at Brookville High School.

And they still play together whenever their schedules permit -- 36 holes, nearly every Saturday morning, at St. Jude Golf Club in Chicora, where both are members.

No carts. No caddies. Just two good friends trying to beat each other.

"There were years -- literally years -- where he didn't beat me," Knapp said. "Then it became where I couldn't beat him. He won the [U.S.] Mid-Amateur in 2002 and after that I couldn't beat him."

Knapp, 46, a seven-time West Penn Amateur champion, gets a chance to recapture the past today when he and Smith, 29, will be paired in the final group at the 104th West Penn Open at Butler Country Club, each seeking to win the 36-hole tournament that has eluded them during their respective amateur careers.

Knapp and Smith each shot 4-under 66s yesterday, good for a one-shot lead on mini-tour player Bobby MacWhinnie of Upper St. Clair and Butler associate head professional Rob McClellan, who played the final four holes in 3 over. Despite their successes in amateur tournaments, Knapp and Smith have never been paired in the final group of any tournament ... until now.

"I've seen this coming for a long time," Knapp said. "He's playing as well as any amateur in the country right now. I know it. I see it. It doesn't bother me."

Indeed, Smith is on something of a roll. After finishing third in the Sunnehanna Amateur in Johnstown and second at the prestigious Northeast Amateur in Rumford, R.I., he won the West Penn Amateur by five shots last week at the Bedford Springs Resort -- becoming the first back-to-back champion of the event since Knapp won the final one of six consecutive titles in 2003.

Yesterday, he was back at it again, making five birdies and only one bogey -- a three-putt from 60 feet at the par-3 10th -- to join Knapp at the top of the leader board.

Knapp was even more precise, shooting a front-nine 32, hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation and never making a bogey.

"It's going to be great ... it's going to be fun," said Knapp, who was best man at Smith's wedding a couple of years ago. We're about as close as you can get. We have a unique relationship. One of the things we got right is, we don't let anyone get between us on the golf course."