Europe's bid for a first winner of the US Open since 1970, and the first winner of any major this Millennium, remained on course in the final round at Winged Foot today.

In stifling heat with temperatures approaching 95 degrees, Kenneth Ferrie and Colin Montgomerie were maintaining the European challenge in New York but Ireland's Padraig Harrington is lurking not far behind them.  He is, however, running out of holes to make his challenge.

Ferrie began the day tied for the lead with odds-on favourite Phil Mickelson, who was attempting to become only the third player in history to win three majors in succession.

A regulation par at the first was followed by a poor drive into the left-hand rough on the second, but Ferrie pitched to 18 feet and holed the putt to remain at two over.

Mickelson had found rough off the tee on the first and second but was able to reach the green and two-putt for par and stay one ahead of Australian Geoff Ogilvy.

Former champion Jim Furyk was a shot further back on four over alongside Montgomerie, who had missed from four feet for birdie on the first but holed from four times the distance on the fourth.

Mickelson was struggling to find the fairway but still managed to birdie the fourth to move into the lead, but then made a complete hash of the fifth.

After driving into a fairway bunker, the left-hander's recovery found yet more rough and with his third he was only able to move the ball a few yards.

The resulting bogey dropped him back to two over and one behind new leader Geoff Ogilvy who had birdied the fifth and sixth to lie one over.

Montgomerie had also birdied the fifth from a greenside bunker to be two off the lead.

Harrington, who suffered a disastrous triple-bogey at the 18th yesterday, is five shots off the lead on six over par having reached the turn level for his final round.

Graeme McDowell is now well off the pace on 14 over and is struggling today, six over for his round through 13 holes.

Darren Clarke is already in the clubhouse having finished his tournament on 18 over after a four over par 74 today. PA