Masters 2014 Leaderboard: Dissecting Day 3 Results and Standings

Saturday at Augusta National is widely heralded as "Moving Day" due to a reoccurring theme of players rapidly moving up and down the leaderboard.

Day 3 of the 2014 Masters absolutely lived up to its billing.

Some players who were atop the standings after Friday's action remain deeply in contention. However, there are some new names that emerged—and a few that have virtually dropped out of the running for the coveted green jacket.

It's safe to say that Hollywood couldn't produce a script with as much drama and intensity as we have seen so far at Augusta.

The course remains treacherous as ever, with dangerous twists and turns waiting to shatter the hopes of the tournament's surviving players.

Some surprising names have navigated the course with ease, while other top-tier golfers saw their chances of claiming the Masters trophy slip into Rae's Creek.

Here's a look at the updated standings upon the conclusion of Round 3:

Position	Player	To Par	R1	R2	R3
T1	Jordan Spieth	-5	71	70	70
T1	Bubba Watson	-5	69	68	74
T3	Matt Kuchar	-4	73	71	68
T3	Jonas Blixt	-4	70	71	71
T5	Miguel A. Jimenez	-3	71	76	66
T5	Rickie Fowler	-3	71	75	67
T7	Lee Westwood	-2	73	71	70
T7	Jim Furyk	-2	74	68	72
T7	Thomas Bjorn	-2	73	68	73
T10	Justin Rose	-1	76	70	69
T10	Kevin Stadler	-1	70	73	72
T10	Fred Couples	-1	71	71	73
T10	John Senden	-1	72	68	75

The complete Masters leaderboard can be found on Masters.com.

The name you see at the top of the leaderboard is 20-year-old Jordan Spieth.

Spieth is a Masters rookie, but he has been playing like a seasoned veteran. His poise, maturity, focus and moxie are unbelievable for a golfer of his age. It's showed, as he is one of just two golfers to record three subpar rounds at Augusta.

At five under par for the tournament, Spieth will be tested one more time, as he will be in the final pairing with Bubba Watson on Sunday. If Spieth can prevail, he will be the youngest Masters winner ever.

Justin Ray of ESPN tweeted a very interesting statistic regarding the Masters and some of golf's legends:

Watson was a different story on Saturday.

The Round 3 leader recorded his worst round of the tournament—a two-over 74. That was just enough to allow Spieth to sneak in for a share of the lead.

Watson's ball striking was off toward the back-half of the round. His confidence appears to have taken a dip, and he will need to find a way to regain his form if he is to finish at the top for the second time in three years.

Matt Kuchar continued to find his swing on Saturday. He seems to keep improving as the tournament goes on. A 73 in Round 1, 71 in Round 2 and a 68 in Round 3 is a nice trend to have going forward.

If that trend continues, he'll be hoisting the Masters trophy on Sunday evening.

Don't count out Jonas Blixt. He's the only other golfer, aside from Spieth, in this year's field who has recorded three subpar rounds so far.

Shooting in the red is huge on Sunday, as golfers can be slightly timid to avoid any huge blowups. His steadfast play will certainly keep him in contention.

David Cannon/Getty Images

Miguel Angel Jimenez and Rickie Fowler had the day's two most surprising performances.

Jimenez had a near-flawless round comprised of seven birdies and one bogey. All of a sudden, the 50-year-old Spaniard finds himself well in the mix.

During a press conference, Jimenez spoke of his play with his usual humor, according to Paul Rogers of Masters.com:

"I'm doing what I like to do in my life, and I enjoy competing. If you are 50, it doesn't mean that you cannot play well. I'm still moving. I'm still flexible. I still hit the ball—I hit the ball longer than ever."

Fowler posted a very similar round to Jimenez on Saturday. His scorecard comprised of six birdies and one bogey, moving him well up the leaderboard after a disastrous 75 on Friday.

The 25-year-old Fowler spoke about his round on Saturday during a press conference including John Steinbreder of Masters.com:

"

It was time for me to step up and play well on weekends, especially in the majors. Other than missing that birdie putt on 18 today, which was about 12 feet, I did exactly what I was trying to do. The greens were a little more receptive, and I could get a few more balls close. The wind died down, too, and that made it easier to control the ball.

"

It's hard to count out any of the players in the red right now. Lee Westwood, Jim Furyk, Thomas Bjorn, Justin Rose and more certainly have fair shots this year with the leaders at five under par.

Sunday is shaping up to be one of the most intense, drama-filled, awe-inspiring conclusions to this prestigious tournament that we've seen in recent memory.

This will certainly be one for the ages.