Brooks had his own chances to win

That meant Goosen and Cink were tied for the lead heading down the last - only for Cink to slump to a double-bogey six.

Goosen, who had led the field after every round with a masterful effort of controlled golf, now appeared certain to win.

But taking Cink's cue, he too developed a serious case of the jitters - and, to the disbelief of a packed grandstand, squandered his gilt-edge opening.

Brooks, who was watching from the clubhouse, was given a reprieve.

And one of the most bizarre US Opens - which is the only one of the four Majors to use an 18-hole play-off - was set for an anticlimatic finale, with the leaders asked to return the next day.

Muted Tiger

As ever, much of the focus was on Woods, who started the day nine shots adrift.

But the world number one failed to produce the sensational form he needed to stay in touch and carded a 69 to finish on three-over par.

Goosen cannot believe he has blown his chance

Woods needed to get off to a flying start if he was to stand a chance of winning his fifth Major in a row.

But the defending champion dropped a shot at the second hole - and, although he picked up two more strokes before the end, he never looked like securing another title.

Europe's only genuine contender, Spaniard Garcia, saw his own challenge suffer a setback with dropped shots at the second and fifth.

And a disastrous double-bogey six at the ninth effectively ended his title hopes.

Mickelson blows it

Mickelson, another of the favourites for the title, also failed to find his best attacking form.

The left-hander dropped a shot at the fourth - but a marvellous wedge from the rough brought him a birdie four at the long fifth.

Cink missed out on a play-off spot

But Mickelson's Major dreams were dashed in familiar fashion, as his inconsistency on the greens brought bogeys at nine and 10 - and an appalling three-feet miss at 13 - as he slumped to 75 for a two-over par total of 282.

Another American, Rocco Mediate, dropped off the pace with three bogeys in five holes around the turn.

The world's best golfers again struggled to cope with a notoriously difficult course, with only four players finishing the four rounds below par.

The most eye-catching performances of the day came from Fiji's Vijay Singh and US veteran Tom Kite, who both stormed to six-under par 64 - the best rounds of the week - and Olin Browne, who sank a hole-in-one at the 11th.

But their efforts were soon forgotten.

This US Open will be remembered instead for the amazing scenes on the very last green.