Westwood 'ready' for first Major

Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson head into a final day showdown in The Masters at Augusta - after a Saturday that will live long in the memory of all those who saw it.

In the space of an amazing 27 minutes Mickelson turned a five-shot deficit into a one-stroke lead when he holed a 139-yard approach to the 14th for a second successive eagle and then came within six inches of making it three in a row. But there was still time for at least one more switch of momentum and it came when Mickelson three-putted the 17th and Westwood found the green in two on the long 15th and birdied to move one ahead again.

Parring from there was hard work, but he did it for a 68 and 12 under aggregate of 204 to become the first Englishman to lead the event after 54 holes since Peter Oosterhuis in 1973.

Asked if he felt ready to win a major - he has finished third in the last two and at the 2008 US Open - Westwood replied: "I think I am ready."

Westwood added: "I felt very calm out there, confident in what I was doing. Every aspect of my game felt good and I thought my way round well.

"The roars (from those watching Mickelson) didn't affect the way I was playing. The only thing I can control is myself.

"What Phil is doing is no importance to my game plan. I think I have found a way to play the course that suits me."

Westwood had shared top spot at halfway with compatriot Ian Poulter, but the World Match Play champion managed only a 74 and fell back into a tie for sixth six strokes back.

Joint third now are Tiger Woods and KJ Choi, but they have four shots to make up - and to win his first event for nearly five months Woods will have to do something he has never done before.

All his 14 majors have come from the front on the final day, but whatever the outcome it has been a remarkable return from his sex scandal.