Phil Mickelson battled the elements to open up a two-stroke lead at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions, but will have world number one Tiger Woods and fellow American Nick Watney for company in this morning's final round. With reversed wind conditions changing the entire make-up of the course, 2007 champion Mickelson dropped just one shot in the third round for a five-under-par 67 - the only sub-70 score from the leading contenders. It sent Mickelson into the final round on 14-under-par, with Woods and Watney two shots back on 12-under.

The Irish contingent held steady during yesterday's round, with Rory McIlroy's 70 and Shane Lowry's 71 leaving them in a tie for 17th place on five-under-par. Pádraig Harrington posted a 72 to stay on one-under-par and began the final round this morning as one of the earlier starters.

While Woods' bid for a 17th WGC title faltered with a unproductive back nine which led to a two-under 70, Mickelson picked up three gains over his final five holes including a lead boosting birdie at the last. Watney, second round leader with Woods, also posted a battling 70, while Ryan Moore matched his playing partners to sit three behind the leader. European order of merit leader Lee Westwood was also firmly in the hunt at 10-under following a sparkling seven-under-par 65 from the Englishman to break up the American dominated leaderboard.

"The weather was more difficult with the winds being stronger and from a different direction and I was pleased to shoot 67," said world number two Mickelson. "I made more birdies, but I didn't make too many big mistakes. I had the bogey on nine, but kept the ball in play and took advantage of the other birdie holes. The course played kind of backwards with birdie holes being more difficult with the wind and holes which are normally the challenging pars were the birdie holes."

Left-handed Mickelson has an impressive 73 per cent conversion rate when leading heading into the final round, with his last coming as he edged out Watney to win a first WGC title at March's CA Championship. And after being forced to play a right-handed shot in his final round at Doral, Mickelson sees it as a sign after a similar play from behind a tree in Shanghai salvaged a bogey, which accounted for only his second dropped shot of the week.

"I was up against a tree and took a pitching wedge and flipped it over and chipped out onto the fairway," he explained. "I said to my caddy after I did that, I thought that was a good omen because I ended up winning at Doral having to hit a right-handed shot. I thought that might be a good omen even though it led to a bogey."

While Woods holds the advantage when the duo are paired together, Mickelson claimed the bragging rights in the final round of The Masters earlier this year although both will hope for better end results this week after Angel Cabrera walked away from Augusta with the green jacket. Woods will need to rediscover the form which led to back-to-back opening rounds of 67.

"It was a little bit more difficult. I didn't putt as well as I did on the first two days. I didn't make as many putts and consequently I was three shots worse off," Woods said after Saturday's round.

"Nick and I have a chance and we are going to have to go out and obviously play well. For me to win the championship, I'm going to have to play well and make some putts. I didn't take advantage of the par 5s and 16, I hit it in there stiff and missed that one. Consequently, I was three shots worse. That's about right."

For his part, Watney felt he got through his first time playing alongside Woods relatively unscathed and came away looking forward to his final round all-American – all-Californian, come to that – threeball with Woods and Mickelson.

"I thought I played pretty well overall, considering it was my first time playing with Tiger in a tournament, I might have a shot at the tournament, and I really can't wait."