Hanson holds one-shot Augusta advantage
A dizzying third round at The Masters with an amazing 16 changes at the top ended with Sweden's Peter Hanson one ahead of Phil Mickelson - and Rory McIlroy surely out of contention.
Quiet man Hanson had the round of his life, a seven-under-par 65, and on only his second trip to Augusta will start the final day nine under but, in a brilliant comeback from an appalling start to the tournament, Mickelson refused to let the 34-year-old, whom he comfortably beat in the singles of the last Ryder Cup, get clean away.
Trying to join Tiger Woods as a four-time winner of the title - Woods is certainly not going to stop him from 38th place on three over - the left-hander had an eagle and four birdies in a back-nine 30 that was only one outside the Masters record.
It gave Mickelson, who had been four over after 10 holes of the year's first major, a 66 - only one off his best-ever score in the event.
McIlroy, on the other hand, had a collapse almost as bad as his one on the same course last April. Having played the back nine then in an horrendous 43 en route to an 80 that took him from four ahead to 10 behind, the 22-year-old US Open champion this time reached the turn in 42 with two double bogeys, including his second of the week on the first, and two bogeys.
When he finally made a birdie on the short 12th and struggling partner Sergio Garcia did the same the pair even shared a hug.
There would be another for the Northern Irishman on the long 15th and the last - in fact, he almost holed his second shot there - but with a 77 he had fallen all the way from joint third to joint 27th and from one behind to 10 adrift.
Only one player has come from that far back on the final day of a major. Paul Lawrie, still three under here after a 72, was that man in the 1999 Open.
Lee Westwood missed a par putt of little more than a foot on the ninth and had three other bogeys. Four birdies, though, kept his hopes alive. After a 72 he will tee off again in a tie for sixth on four under.
South Africa's 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen is third at seven under and then come Americans Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar.
