Tournament host Paul Lawrie is confident he can overcome Peter Hanson when the Ryder Cup team-mates go head-to-head in match play on Thursday at Golf Resort Bad Griesbach.
The duo were part of the famous 2012 team that completed the Miracle at Medinah as Europe came from 10-6 down to win 14½-13½ and continue a run that saw the Ryder Cup stay this side of the Atlantic in six out of seven contests.
They were defeated in a fourball by Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson but Lawrie famously chipped in en route to beating Brandt Snedeker 5 and 3 in the singles as Europe claimed the first four matches on Sunday to set the ball rolling on that remarkable comeback.
That sort of fighting spirit has brought Lawrie eight European Tour titles - including a Claret Jug - and while the 48 year old admits wear and tear is beginning to play its part in his career, he is determined to keep competing at the highest level, winning at the Dimension Data Pro-Am on the Sunshine Tour in February.
"This is my 26th year out there and my body is starting to show signs of it, struggling physically a little bit," he said. "But I've enjoyed it, obviously, it's been a great time, it's a lot of events to play. I can't think of one tournament that I wouldn't want to play again, so that's great.
"I played with Peter in the Ryder Cup in 2012, he and I were partners on the Friday afternoon against Bubba and Webb Simpson.
"His game is in a little bit better shape than mine at the moment but once you're competitive and you get over that line, you can always turn up and hopefully play well and do a job.
"I played okay on the Middle East swing but I only made one cut and finished well down in Dubai. I had a week off and went over to South Africa with my son as my partner and played really nicely that week.
"I've got a problem with my left foot, I've got a bit of arthritis in both feet but my left foot is worse than the right, so I'm struggling a wee bit over four days. First day I'm okay because it's not too bad and then it gets worse as the week goes on.
"But If my feet are okay I still feel as though I can compete and still feel as though I can do well but we'll see what we get this week."
This is the third season on Tour for the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play and the first time it has been held outside Scotland with the Bavarian layout playing host after staging the Porsche European Open in 2015 and 2016.
"We've been here before with the Porsche European Open," said Lawrie "It's a really good course, nice set-up. Dominic at 4Sports has obviously done a great job for three years promoting the event, so we're all looking forward to it."
