Graeme McDowell stretched his lead at the 110th US Open Championship as his rivals got off to nervy starts to their third rounds in California on Saturday.
As the wind picked up significantly for the first time this week at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Paul Casey and Ryo Ishikawa all endured difficult starts on the Monterey Peninsula.
Northern Ireland's McDowell, however, was keeping his head as he began his effort to enhance his 36 hole lead.
Woods, the 14 time Major winner who had won the first of his three US Open Championships by 15 strokes at Pebble Beach in 2000, began the third round ten years later seven strokes behind McDowell, who led by two shots at three under from Masters Tournament champion Mickelson, two-time US Open winner Els, Japanese teenager Ishikawa and American big-hitter Dustin Johnson.
The World Number One, though, carded three birdies and three bogeys on his front nine before a birdie at the 11th advanced him to three over par.
England's Casey, a co-leader after 18 holes, was within three shots of the lead when he began his third round, having posted a triple-bogey eight at the 14th on Friday. But he racked up another big number at the par four second, where he took a triple-bogey seven to drop to three over.
Mickelson, a five-time US Open Championship runner-up, had blazed a trail with a five under second round of 66 that moved him into contention but he was quickly in trouble as he bogeyed his first two holes to slip to one over.
Els and Ishikawa also dropped a stroke apiece over the first two holes but McDowell was ploughing ahead with back-to-back birdies to start.
The European Ryder Cup player from Portrush had looked to be following his rivals into trouble when his first tee shot went into right rough but McDowell responded with a superb rescue shot over a small tree to give himself a birdie from three feet.
McDowell then added another at the second with a long birdie putt to get to five under, before a bogey came at the third, leaving him with a three shot lead over playing partner Johnson and also 18 year old Ishikawa, who birdied the fourth to get back to one under.
There were more European flags on the leaderboard as Gregory Havret of France and England's Ian Poulter as well as KJ Choi of Korea joined Els, Ishikawa and Alex Cejka of Germany at level par.
Havret was two under after consecutive birdies at five and six, while Poulter birdied the fourth and was still one under for the day after five holes and Germany's Martin Kaymer was also going well, two under for his round after eight holes.
Kaymer was at one over alongside Mickelson, as was American amateur Scott Langley, one under for the day after six holes.
Davis Love III had the low round in the clubhouse following a three under 68 that moved him to four over alongside World Number Three Lee Westwood, one over for his day after seven holes.
England's Luke Donald had reached three over par after following an opening bogey with back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth, but was back at six over after 13 holes.
Also at six over was Tom Watson, the 1982 champion at Pebble Beach, who continued his steady improvement on his return to the course as he carded a one under 70, the 60 year old having opened with a 78 and firing a level par second round of 71.
And a shot further back was defending champion Lucas Glover, three over on the day after 14 holes.
