A day of US Open carnage has sent Marc Leishman tumbling down the leaderboard and ended with Dustin Johnson clinging desperately to a spot on top of it.
Shinnecock Hills took victim after victim, including Leishman, as Australia's hopes peaked early before crashing spectacularly on day three in New York.
Long shots with the bookies, Daniel Berger and Tony Finau started moving day 11 shots off the pace but, miraculously, will play in the final group on Sunday.
The American duo each shot four-under-par 66 in calmer morning conditions to share the 54-hole lead at three over.
Berger and Finau were joined atop the leaderboard by defending champion Brooks Koepka (72) and 2016 US Open winner Johnson, who three-putted from eight feet for bogey at the 18th to sign for 77.
Former US Open champion Justin Rose shot 73 to take outright fifth at four over.
The third-round scoring average at the par-70 course on Long Island was 75.328, with only three players posting rounds under par.
It prompted Mike Davis, chief executive of tournament organiser the USGA, to appear on host broadcaster Fox Sports and admit officials blew it with the course set-up.
"It was a very tough test but probably too tough this afternoon," Davis said, admitting the pin placements were too severe.
"Well executed shots not only were not rewarded, but were penalised.
"Frankly we missed it with the winds, it blew harder than we thought it would, and the speed of the greens were too much."
World No.14 Leishman had picked up a shot early in his round, and moved within striking distance of then leader Johnson, before disaster unfolded at the par-4 eighth hole.
Leishman had 22 feet left for par but four-putted for a triple-bogey seven and never recovered, with a double-bogey and four bogeys on the back nine.
The three-time US PGA Tour winner admitted it was the hardest round of golf he has played in his career.
"Yeah, probably, given the situation," Leishman said.
"You're fighting for the US Open and dealing with pin placements like that. The 15th (hole) was a disgrace.
"I played alright and shot 78; it was a tough day. But tough for everyone."
The difficulty led six-time US Open runner-up Phil Mickelson to have a bizarre meltdown.
Mickelson chased after his travelling ball on the 13th green on day three and struck it before it could roll further from the hole, breaching rule 14.5 which prohibits a player from hitting a moving ball.
He was assessed a two-stroke penalty by the USGA and given a 10 for the hole before going on to sign for an 81 and a 17-over total.
Mickelson downplayed the controversy and offered a limp apology to reporters.
"If someone is offended I apologise, but toughen up," he said.
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