Aaron Baddeley and Tiger Woods will make up today's final group after a second consecutive round of 70 saw the Australian top the US Open leaderboard on two-over-par.
Although Oakmont was playing slightly easier than Friday, Baddeley's third-round effort, which included five birdies and five bogeys, was bettered by only Steve Stricker and Woods.
The 26-year-old lies two strokes ahead of the world number one, with Stephen Ames, Paul Casey, Justin Rose and Bubba Watson all on five-over-par in a tie for third.
Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell shot a third round 75 to lie on ten-over.
Baddeley was at one-over and two shots clear of the field after a birdie at 13 but he quickly came back to the pack.
Bogeys at 15 and 16 were followed by more trouble at 17 when his iron off the tee came to rest in the rough on the slope of a bunker.
Playing the ball well above his feet, Baddeley managed to find the green and save par before a birdie at the 18th saw him level for the day.
Woods carded his first sub-par round of the tournament, a one-under-par 69, to finish four-over.
In search of his third US Open title, Woods was nothing short of brilliant from tee to green, missing only the 18th in regulation for his only bogey of the day, but never mastered his putter.
'I felt like I hit the ball pretty good today,' Woods said.
'I hit a lot of good putts that grazed the edge, but I put myself right there in the tournament.'
English duo Casey and Rose also kept themselves in contention with battling rounds of 72 and 73 respectively.
Casey shot a sizzling 66 on Friday and was as low as one-over after a hot start.
He birdied the second and fourth and looked like he was on his way toward repeating his phenomenal second-round performance.
It was not to be though as Casey gave two shots back to make the turn in 35 before recording three bogeys and one birdie coming in.
'It is so tough out there now and the greens have changed since yesterday,' Casey said.
'They are crusty and difficult and there is no way of giving the putts out there a go. I am quite happy with my round and have to take the positives out of it.'
Playing with Baddeley, Rose was at four-over on the 18th but bogeyed the hole to fall into a tie for third at 215.
He had slipped to six-over but battled back with birdies at the 13th and 14th before settling for a 73 after his stumble at the last.
Canadian Stephen Ames is in at five-over after a 73 and Americans Stricker and Jim Furyk are at six-over-par after rounds of 68 and 70, respectively.
Second-round leader Angel Cabrera finished with a 76 and is also at 216.
