Phil Masters ol' lefty magic

Phil Masters ol' lefty magic

Robyn Beck/AP

Phil Mickelson celebrates a 6-under 66 third round Saturday on the 18th hole at Augusta National Golf Club.

AUGUSTA The Masters once brought out some of Phil Mickelsons worst. It now rewards some of his best.

The lefthander is back in his favorite place, within reach of a fourth green jacket that would tie him with Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer, loaded with adrenaline and as confident as ever.

I love it here and I love nothing more than being in the last group on Sunday at the Masters, he said after a great round of 66 Saturday. Its the greatest thing in professional golf.

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When Mickelson plays as he did on the back nine Saturday, hes the greatest thing in professional golf. He blitzed it in 30, igniting the galleries with an eagle on 13 and an unbelievable flop shot that led to a birdie on 15. He trails 34-year-old Swede Peterson Hanson by one shot going into Sundays final round but if he continues this momentum, he is going to be impossible to beat. Where Hanson is better suited to a grinding U.S. Open, Mickelson and the Masters go hand-in-hand.

Padraig Harrington has won two British Opens and a PGA Championship but he knows it takes something else to win here and that Mickelson personifies it.

Its not the player that plays the most consistent that wins at the Masters, he said. The player who plays probably some of the most exciting golf wins at the Masters. Its not really a contest of fairways and greens. Theres a bit more flamboyancy in it. You only ha ve to look at the way Phil has won some of his majors. Youve got to take on golf shots.

It was also that kind of dramatic day that makes the Masters special. The top of the leaderboard fell into an immediate sink hole with Fred Couples (75) going 4-over through five, Rory McIlroy (77) going 5-over through seven and Sergio Garcia (75) going 4-over through seven.

THIRD ROUND LEADERBOARD

That put the leaderboard in a logjam until Mickelson, who was 4-over after his first 10 holes of the week, came charging up after the turn.

I think when I look back on this tournament, I go back to Thursday and where I was standing after 10, he said. Sometimes you fall so far back, you make a nice birdie run and you just make the cut. But because I didnt let the round slide, I left myself in a position where if I did get hot, I could move up the leaderboard, which is what happened.

Hanson, whose 65 was the days best round, wasnt too far o ff Mickelsons back nine. He shot 31 on the back, with brilliant birdies on the last two holes, a long putt on 17 and a laser approach shot to two feet on 18. But his approach couldnt have been more different than Mickelsons.