Hanson, Masters leader, has been clutch before

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- If the two qualities that someone needs most to win the Masters are good decision-making and a knack for clutch shots, Peter Hanson could be in good shape Sunday. Three years ago, he decided to switch clubs and made the shot of his life.

It was late in the European qualifier for the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage. In fact, it was later than late. It was the second hole of a playoff and there was one spot left. Hanson could feel he was so pumped up that he needed to hit less club. "I changed from a 5-iron to a 6-iron. It was nice," the 34-year-old Swede said. It was better than nice. He made a hole-in-one.

Hanson smiled at the memory Saturday after having shot 7-under-par 65 to go 9 under and take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Masters. That was his most clutch round ever.

He will need to play another clutch round Sunday when he is paired with Phil Mickelson in the final group and faces tons of more pressure than he ever has faced. The point is, he does have some game. A person does not make five birdies on the back nine at Augusta without it. A golfer needs skill and nerve to sink a 24-foot double-breaker, as he did for his birdie 3 on No. 17. It is not by accident that Hanson hit a perfect 207-yard 6-iron approach on 18 to set up a tap-in birdie that secured his place in the final twosome.

"It's going to be tough. It's a new situation to me. I've been up on the leader board a few times, but I've never led in anything like this, and we'll see what happens toward the end of the day," he said. Hanson expected Saturday night to be a rough one, and he planned on avoiding watching highlights and analysis on Golf Channel just to clear his head. He figured he would spend as much time as he could with his wife and two children.

Hanson is like Mickelson in that having his family around is a refuge, not a distraction. He thinks of his 16-month-old son Tim on every shot, given that he instructed his equipment company to stamp "17" on each of his golf balls. Tim was born Nov. 17, 2010 at 17:17 on the 24-hour European clock.

Maybe he will do something dramatic on the 17th hole. Perhaps there is something in the name Masters: He won the SAS Masters in Sweden four years ago. Possibly he is due against Mickelson, who beat him in singles at the 2010 Ryder Cup.

"The day before we played, he actually [clinched] the worst Ryder Cup record in history," Hanson said. "He came out so hungry and desperate to win. So he started out with four straight birdies and just killed me."

Hanson has improved since then, a product of moving his family to Florida so he can practice more. He is shooting at having the day of his life.