The world number one, desperate to catch the leaders after battling to make the halfway cut by a stroke, birdied four of the first nine holes in bright sunshine to get to three under.

But the 28-year-old American was unable to cash in on near-perfect scoring conditions on the back nine, offsetting a birdie on 11 with his second bogey of the day at the par-three 12th.

Woods followed with a string of six pars to finish on three-under 213 at Whistling Straits, nine shots off the lead in a tie for 25th.

"It's getting frustrating that I was not able to put myself up there," he told reporters.

"By putting as poorly as I did on Thursday, I just put myself too far back, needing to get out there, be aggressive and make a bunch of birdies.

"That first day, I haven't putted that poorly in a very long time. Yesterday, I got back to normal and today I putted decent, not great."

WITHOUT VICTORY

Woods, bidding to end a run of nine majors without victory since the 2002 U.S. Open, struggled to a three-over 75 in Thursday's opening round, including 32 putts. His 69 on Friday featured 28 putts.

With hardly a breath of wind on Saturday and the par-72 Straits Course receptive to low scoring, he threatened to mount a charge.

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Having birdied three of the last six holes the previous day to stretch his run of consecutive cuts to 129, he picked up his first shot at the par-five second.

To the right of the green in two, the eight-times major winner got up and down for a birdie four.

Woods moved to two under after striking a seven-iron to six feet at the 181-yard third, and birdie number three followed at the par-five fifth, where his wedge approach spun back to within eight feet of the flag.

He and his playing partner Niclas Fasth of Sweden were then put on the clock before Woods, standing on the par-three seventh tee, was disturbed for the third time this week by a photographer.

Despite regrouping, he hit a poor shot that bounced off a grassy mound, the ball ending up in thick rough to the right of the green to pave the way for a bogey.

FOCUS BACK

"I never could get comfortable over that (tee) shot," he said. "I should get my focus back but I didn't do it. We're on the clock and I couldn't waste my time.

"I put the club back, started the routine all over again and hit a poor shot.

"I think it's the guys (the photographers) we don't see week to week. It's not the guys that are (PGA) Tour vets (veterans) that we are accustomed to. They know what they're doing."

Woods returned to three under when he rifled his approach to four feet at the par-four ninth and complete the outward nine in three-under 33.

After pitching to six feet to set up another birdie at the 618-yard 11th, he dropped a stroke at the par-three 12th.

The 1999 and 2000 U.S. PGA champion's tee shot trickled 30 feet away from the pin and he three-putted.

"I felt good this morning and got off to a great start but didn't quite keep it up," Woods said. "I just didn't make enough birdies on the back nine.

"I knew if I could get three or four more on the back nine, I would be right back where I needed to be. I'm going to need the wind to blow tomorrow in order to get back into this tournament."