Masters Leaderboard 2012: Will Peter Hanson Hold off Surging Phil Mickelson?

Heading into the final round of one of golf's grander stages, Peter Hanson will try to hold off Phil Mickelson with a one-stroke lead, boasting a nine-under mark for the 2012 Masters tournament.

Hanson comes into this final 18 holes of play fresh off of what was an outright jaw-dropping, impressive performance. The 65 that Hanson posted in the third round was the best score any player posted in any round throughout the entire 2012 tournament.

In the third round, Hanson was able to birdie on five of his last seven holes, and his play on the back nine has been stellar in both the first and third rounds at Augusta.

But Mickelson, three-time green jacket winner at Augusta, will be giving Hanson all he can ask for in this final round of play. Going into the final round, Mickelson (-8) sits just one stroke behind Hanson. What makes this all the more significant is that Mickelson has played the more consistent, solid golf heading into the final round.

Before posting the 65 on Saturday, Hanson put up a 74 in the second round. The four-over-par performance was not one of the stronger showings for any of the players currently among the leaders.

Meanwhile, in spite of posting a 74 in the first round, Mickelson went on to shoot a 68 and 66 in the following two rounds. He has progressively gotten better and is slowly building momentum heading into the final round. His ability to go out and shoot two solid rounds in a row will be key.

Not to mention, this is a golfer who has won this tournament three times in his prestigious career, and there is no question Hanson will be feeling the heat throughout the tournament.

Still, considering his impressive score in the third round and the success he has had on the back nine in two of the three rounds, there is no question Hanson is the favorite. If he can go on to post five or six birdies on those last nine holes, as has shown he is capable of, it will be an uphill battle for Mickelson.

Expect Hanson to come out and take care of business when it's all said and done. There is no question his golf has been as dominant as that of any golfer among the top of the leaderboard in this tournament.