Paul Casey has put together three solid rounds at Augusta National. (Getty Images)

"Who is the guy in fifth place?" Snedeker asked, his eyes wide above that Huck Finn grin as he paused for emphasis. "Oh, Tiger Woods -- that guy."

Yes, the world's No. 1 player is the guy many people expect will rally to win the 72nd Masters on Sunday. But three of the four guys ahead of Woods -- Snedeker, Paul Casey and third-round leader Trevor Immelman -- are among the best of the best young players in the game.

Immelman, at 11 under, leads by two shots after carding a 69 on Saturday. The 28-year-old South African is just the 10th player to shoot three rounds in the 60s, the last being his countryman Retief Goosen in 2002. No one has ever had four.

Brandt Snedeker didn't earn a spot in the Masters field until last August, when he won the Wyndham Championship. (Getty Images)

The Masters

Full coverage Round 4 Tee Times Leaderboard Running Round 3 Notebook More notes Tiger back after a 68 Phil slips with a 75 Flesch refuses to fold Preview: Round 4 Au-Gusty National? Video: Immelman's post-round interview Video: Casey's post-round interview Video: Snedeker's post-round interview Video: PGA TOUR Today Podcast: Round 3

"His swing is absolutely the closest that I have seen to Ben Hogan, and I've always thought that Ben Hogan was the best striker of the ball from tee to green that I ever saw," three-time Masters champion Gary Player said.

Player, who played in a record 51st Masters this year, is the only South African to win at Augusta National. Ernie Els has a pair of seconds; Goosen two seconds and two thirds. Even Rory Sabbatini got into the act with a share of second last year.

A year ago, Immelman spent the Wednesday of Masters week in an Augusta hospital attached to IVs and battling a mysterious stomach ailment that caused him to lose 22 pounds from his 5-foot-10 frame. Just last December, he had a benign tumor removed from his diaphragm and was left with a 7-inch scar to show for it.

Immelman's game has rounded into form, though, at a most fortuitous time. He's tied for first in greens in regulation, hitting 41 of 54, and ranks first in driving accuracy, hitting 38 of 42 for a phenomenal 90 percent.

Immelman, who won the 2006 Cialis Western Open, has contended in majors before -- he shared fifth at the 2005 Masters and tied for sixth at last year's PGA. So he's well aware of how Sunday's outcome could change his life.

"I've dreamed about playing professional golf since I was five years old, and so there's been a lot of bumps in the road, as with anybody," Immelman said. "You know, I'm going to go out there and play my heart out. ...

"All I can ask for myself is to go out there and you know, play as hard as I can and believe in myself. I've got to believe in myself tomorrow, and hope for the best."

Snedeker, who just four years ago played in the Masters and tied for 41st as an amateur, admittedly is the least tested of the group. He got the chance to return to Augusta National when he won the Wyndham Championship last year.

The 27-year-old from Tennessee may not have the experience, but he certainly showed his determination on Saturday after he bogeyed the entire Amen Corner. Snedeker answered that setback by rolling in 8-footers for birdie on Nos. 14 and 15, then played his way back into the final group on Sunday with one from 6 feet at the 18th.

"Any time you've got a six footer around here, I don't care what day it is or what's going on, if you're trying to win a golf tournament, you need to make them," Snedeker said. "You don't want to leave Trevor too much in the lead because he's playing fantastic golf. Tee to green, that's as good as I've ever seen anybody hit a golf ball."

Snedeker said he expected to sleep well Saturday, probably another 10 or 11 hours, just like he did when he was in college at Vanderbilt. After he received his Masters invitation for winning the U.S. Amateur Public Links in 2003, Snedeker took advantage of Augusta National's hospitality and made the 5½-hour trip from Nashville to this southeast Georgia town nearly 50 times to play.

Casey will play with veteran Steve Flesch on Sunday. (Getty Images)

"I was out of school, had not turned pro yet and they almost changed the rule the next year because of me, because I was down here every day," Snedeker said. "I wore it out. I thought, how many times can I have a membership at Augusta National for four months?"

The practice rounds helped Snedeker learn some of the nuances of the course and divest himself of the mystique. His friends aren't surprised to see him near the top of the leaderboard, either.

"He knows he belongs here," said Johnson Wagner, last week's Shell Houston Open winner and a former Nationwide Tour player like Snedeker.

"He's always had that kind of personality. I've been kind of in awe this week, but ... Brandt is not in awe of anything, he's here to win a tournament and that's it."

Indeed. Sunday is "everything I've grown up trying to do," Snedeker said. "Everything I've practiced for, everything I've done, is in preparation for tomorrow."

Casey, who has two top-10s at Augusta National and a tie for 10th at the U.S. Open last year, knows exactly what Snedeker means. At the same time, the 30-year-old knows he can't dwell on the possibilities, only focus on the task at hand.

Casey will play with Steve Flesch in the penultimate group on Sunday. He's been there before, paired with Bernhard Langer in 2004 as Phil Mickelson's 69 ended up trumping Ernie Els' 67.

"I'll draw from that. I know what it's like," Casey said. "But tomorrow's really a day where I've got to worry about my own game and if the wind picks up as it's meant to, it will be a day of trying to manage your emotions and your game. And I feel happy with all of that.

"I put in a lot of work and I realize there's more to life than golf, so tomorrow's a big day and it's very important and I'm not going to ignore that fact. But I'm going to sleep very soundly tonight."