Can Sunday at Augusta National possibly top Saturday? You bet it can!

Saturday's third round undoubtedly will go down in the annals as one of the most memorable days ever at Augusta National. Don’t worry, though, says Mike McAllister. The quality of players up on the leaderboard virtually guarantees that Sunday will be a day to remember, too.

By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM Managing Editor

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- On a day in which roars erupted from every corner, when back-nine eagles were produced in spectacular fashion, when Phil Mickelson generated a half-hour adrenaline rush, when the drama and excitement of major championship golf left those lucky patrons in attendance giddy and emotionally drained, a troubling question remains at Augusta National.

What do we do for an encore Sunday?

Oh, not to worry. This is the Masters, a tournament that specializes in final-round theatrics. This is Augusta National, a course that, for all its traditions and quaintness and southern charm, knows how to put on a glitzy Broadway show.

That was evident in Saturday's third round when warm weather, receptive greens and the world's top players collided in a perfect storm of ebb-and-flow golf. Lee Westwood, emerging as the 54-hole leader, put it in simple but accurate perspective for all of us when he called it "one of those great days in golf."

And you can expect something similar in Sunday's final round. No doubt about it.

"I think we are going to have some excitement tomorrow, a real shootout," said Mickelson, who figures to be heavily involved in its creation.

Just consider the leaderboard. Mickelson, the world's No. 3-ranked player, is one stroke behind Westwood, the world's No. 4 player. Tied for third is Tiger Woods -- he's merely No. 1 and the object of much national obsession.

Add in a few other highly ranked players -- Ian Poulter, Hunter Mahan and Anthony Kim -- and ageless wonder Fred Couples, a couple of elite Koreans in K.J. Choi and Y.E. Yang and a darkhorse spoiler in Ricky Barnes, and you have the makings of a classic Sunday.

No doubt it's a fan-friendly leaderboard. But if you're Westwood and you're sleeping on a 54-lead at a major for the first time in your career, maybe it's not so player-friendly. Or maybe it is.

"Yeah, it's a very player-friendly leaderboard when you're me and at the top of it," Westwood said with a smile.

Certainly the 2010 Masters has been one heck of a fan-friendly tournament. Thursday's first round was tremendous, with the 50-year-old Couples and 60-year-old Tom Watson emerging at the top of the leaderboard.

Although still at a respectable 2 under for the championship, Watson, as expected, has faded out of realistic contention. But Couples could very well deliver an historic moment Sunday by becoming the oldest winner of a major. Five strokes back now, he knows going low is his only chance. No one puts it past him.

"I just love this place," he said. "I have a shot at it tomorrow if I can shoot a crazy score."

Woods, of course, casts the largest shadow, and his three consecutive birdies on the back nine brought him back into play after he was on the verge of losing touch with the leaders. He's never rallied from a 54-hole deficit to win a major, but this tournament may just offer the kind of craziness to break that curse.

"I've got a good shot," he said, game face already on.

However Sunday's finish plays out, if it just equals what we saw on Saturday, golf fans will be more than satisfied.

Hard to imagine that just a few years ago, the silence was deafening at Augusta National. Poor weather prompted conservative play by eventual champion Zach Johnson, whose 1-over total to win here in 2007 equaled the highest four-day total by any Masters champ. The extra length added to the course seemed to take the fun out of it.

But this week, neither length nor weather has been a problem for the top players. Eight eagles were produced on Saturday, 21 in the first three days. That comes off the heels of last year's 17 eagles in the second round, a Masters record.

Eagles, of course, mean roars, and the roars were plentiful Saturday -- and none were louder than when Mickelson produced back-to-back eagles at the par-5 13th and the par-4 14th, the latter when his wedge shot dropped in from 141 yards.

With a chance to become the first player in Masters history to record three straight eagles, Mickelson had to lay up at the par-5 15th ... and still nearly holed his short approach shot.

Going 5 under in the three-hole span allowed Mickelson to quickly overtake Westwood for the lead, but the topsy-turvy day wasn't over yet. Westwood, displaying the kind of steady demeanor that wins majors, wasn't ruffled and eventually regained the lead, shooting a 4-under 68 to finish at 12 under, one ahead of Mickelson.

"What Phil Mickelson does is really out of my control," Westwood said. "The only thing I can control, as I've said all week, is what I do, where I hit it. You know, the guys up on the leaderboard there are great players. They are going to do something. You have to expect the unexpected at times."

Westwood and Mickelson, longtime Ryder Cup opponents, will be in the final group Sunday -- which suggests that one of the two will emerge as the champion, since 18 of the last 19 Masters winners have come from the final group.

But If Mickelson's right and the fireworks continue, nerves and emotions will be tested on all fronts. When that happens, you can throw predictability out the window.

The one thing we do know is that we'll hear plenty of noise Sunday.

"Those roars are Augusta roars," said Watson, the oldest player in the field this week. "I'm glad they're back."