Why this Masters Sunday is set up to be one of the best ever

You can’t ask for much more out of a Sunday at a major championship.

Even if you’re the most casual of golf fan, there’s reason to tune in to CBS for some HELLO, FRIENDS-ing today. Given the leaderboard, we’re almost certain to have a memorable winner take home the title. If you weren’t already planning on it, here’s seven reasons to break out the pimento cheese sandwiches, put on your best green jacket and tune in for what could be one helluva Sunday at Augusta National.

In a post-Tiger world, there’s no name in golf that’s bigger that Jordan Spieth. The defending champion takes a one-shot lead into the final round, and he’ll be attempting to be the first player to successfully retain his green jacket since that Eldrick guy won back to back titles in 2001 and 2002. He’ll be the biggest storyline coming into the afternoon, and if he can take home another jacket, that will be three major championships before at age 22. And it might just kick off conversation about that 19 number.

Who the hell is Smylie Kaufman? The 24-year-old PGA Tour rookie and Birmingham native cracked the Masters field with a win at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in the fall -- and he’s making only his second ever start in a major championship. He turned in the best round of any player on the course on Saturday with a 3-under par 69. Nice. His reward? Getting to walk alongside Spieth and have millions of eyeballs fixated on every shot he hits. If he can hang around and win, he’ll have the delight of answering more questions about still living with his parents and his Nissan Murano from Jim Nantz in Butler Cabin.

It’s always daunting for the leader when a two-time Masters champion is two shots behind. Except maybe if those wins didn’t even come in the leader’s lifetime. Bernhard Langer, 58, has won this tournament before in 1985 and 1993 -- the second of those coming a few months before Spieth was born in July of the same year. Langer contending here at Augusta in 2016 isn’t Jack in ‘86 stuff -- it’s Jack in ‘98 or Tom Watson at the 2009 British Open. Despite his form and success on the senior circuits, it’s hard to even put into words how unlikely a third green jacket would be at his age. He’s worth pulling for today.

Reminder: Spieth might be the biggest name in the game right now -- but it’s hard to make the argument he’s currently the world’s best player. Jason Day’s won six times in his last 13 starts dating back to last year’s PGA Championship and he’ll have another crack at taking home the title at Augusta -- where’s he been so close many times already. Don’t be shocked if he’s able to run Spieth down with more favorable conditions on Sunday.

Despite his best attempts to play himself out of it with a 77 on Saturday, Rory McIlroy’s chances aren’t yet done. With those more favorable conditions today, a sub-67 number might be out there for the taking and McIlroy certainly has the game to do it. If Rory’s able to go out and get in the clubhouse at 67 or better a full hour before Spieth and Kaufman will walk off the 18th green, it’ll certainly make things interesting. So, yeah, don’t wait around until 3 p.m. to tune in -- he’ll need a fast start on the front side if he’s hoping to run down the leaders.

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Remember when Lee Westwood contending but not winning at major championships was a thing? In 23 major championship starts between the 2008 US Open and 2014 Masters, the 42-year-old Englishman finished third or better eight times. He’s had a ton of near misses, and his name will always come up in the Best Player To Never Win A Major conversation. At one point on Saturday, Westwood was 11 shots behind the leader. Now he’s just four back -- and if he can make up that margin and take home a title, the game of golf would be just.

Hideki Matsuyama’s just two behind. Dustin Johnson’s three back, alongside Danny Willett. Brandt Snedeker’s at 1-over. Daniel Berger’s at 2-over. Each are all names that should win -- or should’ve already won -- major championships over the course of their careers. A win here for any of member of this group wouldn’t be fluky, each has shown the game to have true staying power as a contender in major championships. If any breaks through and takes home their first major title today, the game would effectively have another star validated with the Major Champion label.

As much as Spieth’s back-to-back run is an incredible story, his late Saturday stumble completely changed the dynamic for Sunday. He said it changed the way he’d have to approach it, felt “uneasy” compared to last year, and opened things up for the field. The wind is now down and the green jackets love to set the course up for birdies, leaderboard movement, and charges on Sunday. Let’s do this.