Twice champion Tiger Woods trailed pacesetter Angel Cabrera of Argentina by a shot as the U.S. Open headed for a tight finish midway through Sunday's final round.

World number one Woods partially recovered from a double-bogey six at the third with a birdie at the 609-yard fourth before reaching the turn in one-over 36, five over for the tournament.

The long-hitting Cabrera was two under for the day after 12 holes, having piled up four birdies and two bogeys in hot and humid conditions at Oakmont Country Club.

Jim Furyk, the 2003 champion, was alone in third at seven over with seven holes to play, one ahead of fellow Americans Scott Verplank (after 14) and Bubba Watson (11), plus overnight leader Aaron Baddeley of Australia (nine).

With little margin for error on Oakmont's hard, fast and sloping greens, only two players were under par for the day.

The scoreboard fluctuated wildly and, at one point, five players were tied for the lead.

Woods, hunting his 13th major title, holed eight-foot putts to save par at the fifth and sixth, on both occasions pumping his right fist in celebration.

Although an ominous figure when close to the lead in golf's big events, he has never won a major when trailing after 54 holes.

American Anthony Kim made the most significant move among the early starters, firing a three-under-par 67 to finish on 14-over 294.

The 21-year-old Californian birdied three of the first eight holes, bogeyed 15 and 16 and signed off with back-to-back birdies from the 17th.

"I hit some quality shots and got a couple of putts to fall," Kim told reporters after rocketing from his overnight tie for 57th into an early share of 23rd.