Tiger Woods struggled to a par-70 but stretched his lead to four strokes at the 102nd US Open after the third round as Spain's Sergio Garcia set the stage for a dramatic final-round showdown.
Woods birdied two of the last four holes to finish three rounds at five-under par 205 with Garcia next and Americans Phil Mickelson and Jeff Maggert third on 210. Garcia and Mickelson fired 67s, their best-ever US Open rounds. Maggert had a bogey-free 68.
Ireland's Padraig Harrington (73), Australia's Robert Allenby (67)and American Billy Mayfair (68) shared fifth on 211 with England's Nick Faldo and American Justin Leonard on shot back in eighth.
When leading after 54 holes, Woods has won 23 of 25 times, including all seven times it has happened in a major. But he will be going against Garcia.
"It will be a tough round for both of us," Woods said. "I will have to go out there and be focused."
"The course played a little softer," Woods said. "The guys could be a little more aggressive."
Woods is trying to become only the fifth man to win the Masters and US Open in the same year, the first since Jack Nicklaus in 1972. A victory here would put Woods halfway to an unprecedented calendar-year sweep of golf's Grand Slam events.
Woods also could become the first man ever to win the US Open wire-to-wire twice. The first time was in 2000 when he won by 15 strokes, the biggest rout in major golf history.
Woods began the day three strokes ahead of Harrington and seven ahead of the rest of the field and led by as many as five strokes. But any idea he could pull away ended when rivals made their moves on the back nine.
"I worked my butt off," Woods said. "I didn't hit the ball that well, but I just hung around. I never did find the rhythm of the round. I hung in there, and that's what I had to do."
The last pairing is a mouth-watering one, and one Garcia is relishing, "I'm actually really glad I will be playing with Tiger," Garcia said. "I'm looking forward to it. Let's see if I'm playing well. If I do, I think I have a good chance."
While Harrington retained his position to challenge on the final day, Darren Clarke, the only other Irish qualifier after Paul McGinley missed the cut, languishses near the other end of the field. Clarke finished on 10-over after a 72. AFP