Augusta, Ga. ? The stage is set once again for the great human tragedy that has been Phil Mickelson at the majors. Will the ending be any different this time?

The Don Quixote of golf has the windmill in sight at Augusta National, where the galleries are willing him on to what they hope will be an Easter Sunday breakthrough.

Mickelson is 0-for-42 in majors as a professional, but for the first time he will go into the final round as the co-leader.

He shares a two-shot cushion with Presidents Cup teammate Chris DiMarco.

And, perhaps for the first time, ‘Lefty’ seems confident he can pull it off.

“Heading into the final round, I’m much more at ease than I have been in the past, where I’ve been anxious and wondering, ‘How is it going to go on the range?’ beforehand, or, ‘Am I going to drive it in play?’ or, ‘Is my swing going to be there?'” he said.

“I don’t feel that anxiety. I haven’t felt it all year.”

Mickelson has played in the final group of a major three times, most recently at the ’01 PGA with David Toms and the ’01 Masters with Tiger Woods. He never has choked away a major — he just never seems to rise to the occasion on Sunday.

For the first time, however, Mickelson is playing the consistent brand of golf that wins these titles.

In 2001, for instance, he led the Masters field in birdies but finished behind Woods because he made more mistakes. Now, in shooting two straight 69s, Mickelson has played 32 holes without making a bogey, and while he didn’t make any birdies after the seventh hole Saturday, he rolled in great par-saving putts on No. 1, No. 6 — where he slam-dunked an 18-footer — and No. 18, where he could have easily given DiMarco the solo lead.

“I think the biggest thing for me is I didn’t give shots away in an effort to make birdies,” said Mickelson, who shot a 3-under 69 for a 210 total. “I think that’s where I’m saving the shots that I was talking about coming in. I may not be making as many birdies, but I’m not throwing nearly as many away.”

First off, Mickelson isn’t hitting any wild shots off the tee, and, as he explained, “I don’t have the decisions that I had when I was off in the trees as much. It’s just a much easier game, driving it in play, and even when I do miss a fairway, it’s by a small amount, rather than big misses.”

Mickelson put his short game on display early, and the galleries loved it. He rolled in a 20-footer for birdie on No. 2 and, after the big save on No. 6, carried the momentum to No. 7, where he stuck a wedge two feet from the hole for birdie.

Mickelson’s wedge earned another birdie on the par-5 eighth, but it was his last of the day. He missed makeable birdie putts on nine and 11.

The real test, of course, comes today, when his career-long goal flashes before him like a carrot. Even DiMarco, a close friend of Mickelson’s, pointed out: “He’s going to have a lot of pressure on him (today), too, because he’s got to try to get that monkey off there.”

Mickelson’s immediate pursuer after DiMarco (68) is the young, long-hitting Englishman Paul Casey, whose round of 68 moved him to 4-under 212 for the week. The most dangerous of the others within striking distance is three-time major winner Ernie Els, three shots back after a 71.

Woods is nine back after spiraling to a 75, helped by a double-bogey on 13. That, too, is working to Mickelson’s advantage because Woods has been such a determining force in the majors Mickelson has lost.

“Well, it doesn’t suck, I’ll say that,” Mickelson cracked, breaking up the room after he was asked how it felt to have Woods out of sight.