Leonard - shot superb three-under-par 69. (Allsport)

A day which included one of the greatest shots of his career - indeed of anybody's career - ended with Tiger Woods still not where he wanted to be in the United States PGA championship in Minnesota.

Masters and US Open champion Woods, who has captured all his eight majors from the front on the final day, goes into the last 18 holes at Hazeltine National in joint fourth place five strokes behind.

Compatriot Justin Leonard is the man he has to catch, the winner of the 1997 Open returning a superb third round 69 in the windy conditions to stand on the nine-under-par mark of 207.

Leonard, the American hero at the last Ryder Cup, but not part of their team for The Belfry next month, leads long-time leader Rich Beem by three, with Fred Funk a further stroke back and Mark Calcavecchia alongside Woods.

The stroke of genius from Woods was a 202-yard two-iron out of sand to 12 feet on the final hole of his second round - and it made playing partner Ernie Els congratulate him with the word "unbelievable" after Woods holed the birdie putt.

One of 41 players back at daybreak to finish off a round halted by a violent electrical storm on Friday night, Woods had to wait another 105 minutes as the flooded course was made playable.

But when he did resume his bid the world number one saved par with a delicate chip from the side of the 17th green and then served up a treat for the crowd.

Woods, trying to become the first player ever to win three majors in a season twice, hooked into his drive into the edge of a bunker at the 457-yard 18th.

With 202 yards to go, trees in front of him, an awkward stance and a wind blowing hard left to right most players would have taken their punishment, chopped out and tried to save par with a pitch and putt.

Not Woods, though, and by the cheer and his fist-pump when he made his three you would have thought he had won, not just completed a 69 for a four-under-par halfway total of 140.

"A lot of luck and some pretty good timing," he said modestly. "But that's one of the all-time great shots I've ever hit - and I've had a few.

"I absolutely flushed it. I was looking at bogey and somehow I made it into a three."

The only stroke of his own he named to compare with it was a six-iron, again out of a fairway bunker, but this time over a lake that set up a winning last-hole birdie in the Canadian Open two years ago.

But caddie Steve Williams had no doubt. "This was the best shot I've ever seen Tiger hit," he said emphatically.

Meanwhile, any hopes of a first European win in the event since Tommy Armour in 1930 ended when Swede Pierre Fulke fell out of contention with a 78 for two over.

Justin Rose was level par with three to play, but double-bogeyed the 16th and will resume on Sunday on the same mark not only as Fulke, but also Ireland's Padraig Harrington, who battled through agonies with a neck problem for a 74.

Woods was lurking just off the pace all afternoon, but he probably had not bargained for Leonard coming home in a brilliant 33.

Leonard hit his approach to five feet on the 410-yard 10th, rolled in another putt at the long 15th and then took firm control with a rare three at the dangerous 402-yard 16th.

Woods had holed from 25 feet there, but it was only for par and on his return to the 18th he needed more magic after a wild slice off the tee this time, but could not find it.

The bogey was his first since the 13th of his second round - and only his fourth of the week, but it infuriated him.

"I hate ending on a bogey. It just ticks me off," he said. "I'm very pleased with level par overall, but I'm a little far behind and the problem is that you can't really be aggressive on the course.

"I'm just going to have to play smart."

Leonard produced the only sub-70 score of the third round and thoroughly deserved his overnight position.

Beem was out in front until he bogeyed the 13th and 17th for a 72, but that was still better than the other three players who shared the halfway lead.

Funk shot 73, Calcavecchia 74 and South African Retief Goosen a 79 he will want to forget in a hurry.

Fulke had two double bogeys in the last four holes, while Rose double-bogeyed the short eighth as well as the 16th in his 76.

Bernhard Langer and Dane Soren Hansen, also two under at halfway, had 77 and 78 respectively, while Nick Faldo slipped to five over with a 74.