Masters Leaderboard 2012: Breaking Down Top Contenders for the Green Jacket

It's the last day of the 2012 Masters tournament, and it's anyone's game.  The top five players on the leaderboard are separated by a single stroke and given how Augusta National has proven to be a tricky playing field, there's no telling how any of them may do. 

No matter how you look at it, that green jacket is up for grabs and it's going to be a dogfight as to who gets it.

Louis Oosthuizen

Here's a guy who hadn't made the cut his previous three times in this particular tournament, and now he finds himself in third place with an impressive score of seven under. 

If he can avoid a major collapse, it's perfectly reasonable to believe that he'll find himself as the last man standing and having that green sign of immortality draping his shoulders.

Peter Hanson

The same can be said for leader Peter Hanson, who is playing in just his second Masters tournament.  He didn't even make the cut last year, and he's atop the leaderboard at nine under. 

The Swede isn't going to have an easy time over the final day in Augusta, but should be fine if he can stay focused and not make any mental mistakes.

Yet, both Hanson and Oosthuizen have one thing working against them: inexperience.  That being said, both they and everyone else involved in the Masters, fan or player, would be wise not to count out tournament veteran Phil "Lefty" Mickelson.

Phil Mickelson

You see, Mickelson played his first Masters in 1991 at age 23, finishing tied for 46th the year that Wales' Ian Woosnam took home the jacket.  Since then, he has gone from mere sapling to someone who has won at Augusta National three times.  Most recently, he wore the green blazer in 2010.

More importantly, Mickelson went on a charge yesterday and today finds himself in second place, just one stroke behind Hanson. 

Sure, Hanson and Oosthuizen have looked great this year, but there's always the chance that experience could win out.  The two of them have only four Masters appearances combined, while Mickelson knows the course and its tricks quite well.

Conclusion

All we as fans can do at this point is sit back, relax and enjoy the show.  Day four has everything necessary to be a good one and when push comes to shove, it could be one of the most intense days in tournament history as the top contenders fight and claw their way towards that elusive jacket.