Retief Goosen birdied the opening hole to forge three clear in the US Open final round as his challengers struggled in brutal conditions at Shinnecock Hills.
Goosen, winner in 2001 at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahama, split the fairway off the tee, hit his approach to 28 feet and rolled in the putt to move to six under for the tournament. However the 35-year-old slipped back with a bogey-four at the second after finding the front right bunker off the tee. He parred the 478-yard third to stay three shots ahead.
Moments later, though, US Masters champion Phil Mickelson sank a 20-foot birdie putt at the par-four fourth to close the gap to two, and secure outright second place at three under. Twice winner Ernie Els, in the final pair with Goosen, was a further shot back in third with American Jeff Maggert fourth at one under after five holes.
World number one Tiger Woods, who began a sun-drenched day nine shots off the lead, was battling at nine over after 11 holes.
Conditions had earlier forced officials to suspend play for 10 minutes to allow green-keeping staff to water the problem seventh hole after the first two pairs had come through. Three of the first four golfers to play the hole ran up triple-bogey sixes there, with the rock-hard green almost impossible to hold. Of those, American Stadler faced a two-foot downhill putt for par which he missed, only to see his ball roll 20 yards off the green.
Padraig Harrington bogeyed the first three holes and went out in 40, but enjoyed three birdies on the back nine to finish with a 75 for a 15 over par total of 295.