Masters 2015: What to Expect from Golf's Top Stars on Sunday

It's not every tournament that you have Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy in the last three pairs. Or a player chasing a tournament record for the lowest score ever during the same year he became old enough to buy himself a beer. Or a player desperately trying to complete a career grand slam at the majors. Or a superstar who hasn't played in months and won a major in years playing rejuvenated, energized golf on the biggest stage. 

Just wow. 

Realistically, of course, just four golfers are really competing for the green jacket, as only Rose (-12), Mickelson (-11) and Charley Hoffman (-10) are within striking distance of Spieth (-16). And realistically, Spieth is going to win this year's Masters. The combination of his big lead and his absolutely stellar play to this point make it tough to bet against him. 

Then again, as McIlroy could tell you, these things are never guaranteed.

Speaking of McIlroy, he was the biggest story coming into this tournament and will quickly become the biggest story again if he starts stringing together biridies early and Spieth struggles at all. McIlroy charging from behind you, suddenly on fire, has got to be intimidating for any golfer. 

Woods once had the power to intimidate simply by his presence on the course, though those days are behind him. Still, it's a fantastic sign for both Woods and the sport of golf that he's played this well coming off a two-month hiatus.

Frankly, his performance has shocked everyone, Jason Sobel of ESPN among them:

Woods no longer has the mechanical precision and unflappable confidence he displayed in his prime, but he does look as natural and fluid in his game as he has since 2013, when his greatness appeared to be peaking out from behind the clouds before injuries chased it away again.

Still, this Woods looks like he could win a tournament this year. This Woods looks as though he could be competitive in all of the majors. This Woods is good for golf.

So is this Mickelson. Lefty, as he so often is, really is the wild card on Sunday. He's won this tournament three times. He's capable of posting the sort of ridiculous round that catches him up to Spieth, even if the 21-year-old plays well himself. He's the only player in the top four who really has nothing to lose and will likely be the most loose.

Spieth has a lead to maintain, a first major to win and the pressure of living up to his "young phenom" hype. Rose is trying to show his 2013 U.S. Open triumph wasn't a fluke. Hoffman, who has a total of three career wins on the PGA Tour and has never finished better than 27th at a major, is just trying to prove he belongs. 

And Lefty is just trying to put that green jacket on for a fourth time. 

Sure, Spieth, Rose and Hoffman would likely say they are simply taking it hole-by-hole, shot-by-shot, and maybe they are. But it's also hard to imagine that the moment won't catch up to them at some point, at least a little bit. Mickelson has the benefit of conquering such moments three times at Augusta. 

In the end, Spieth seems set to earn his first major. He's a special player having a special tournament. But with so many storylines at play and so many stars comprising them, Sunday's finale at the Masters is just about as good as it gets.