OAKMONT (Pennsylvania), June 18: Argentina's Angel Cabrera held off Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk to become the second South American to win a major title with a one-shot victory at the US Open on Sunday.

The 37-year-old from Cordoba, whose power game earned him five birdies on a hot and humid day at treacherous Oakmont Country Club, fired a one-under-par 69 for a five-over total of 285 on one of golf's toughest layouts.

Three strokes clear with three holes to play, the big-hitting Cabrera survived bogeys on 16 and 17 before parring the last to emulate the achievement of compatriot Roberto de Vicenzo, winner of the 1967 British Open at Hoylake.

“This is a great moment for me,” a smiling Cabrera told reporters through a Spanish interpreter after hoisting the trophy.

“I watched all the majors on television when I was a kid and I never thought I would be here at this moment. It is a very difficult to describe.

“Probably tomorrow when I wake up with this trophy beside me in my bed, I will realise that I have won the US Open.”

Twice champion Woods, hunting his 13th major title, had to settle for a share of second place with fellow American Furyk (70) after closing with a 72.

The world No 1, two strokes behind the pacesetting Aaron Baddeley of Australia overnight, stumbled early with a double-bogey at the third.

Although he hit back with a birdie at the fourth, he was frequently forced to scramble to save par and failed to pick up any further shots before finishing at six over.

Swede Niclas Fasth birdied two of the last five holes for a 70 and fourth place at seven over, one better than Americans David Toms (72) and Bubba Watson (74).

With little margin for error on Oakmont's hard, fast and sloping greens, Cabrera and American Anthony Kim (67) were the only players in the field of 63 to shoot under par on a day when the average was 74.75.

The scoreboard fluctuated wildly and six players held at least a share of the lead.

Overnight pacesetter Baddeley surrendered his lead by triple-bogeying the opening hole and fell back into a tie for 13th at 12 over after shooting an 80.

Woods was still the tournament favourite midway through the final round after reaching the turn in one-over 36 but he dropped his third shot of the day at the 11th after hitting his approach into a greenside bunker.

When Cabrera hit a superb nine-iron approach from 160 yards to three feet at the par-four 15th, setting up his fifth birdie to move three shots clear, the tournament appeared his for the taking.

However, the leaderboard seesawed for the next half-hour.

Furyk reeled off three birdies in a row from the par-three 13th to climb into second place, two behind Cabrera.

Moments later, Woods missed a slippery five-footer for birdie on the 13th green to stay in third before Cabrera bogeyed the par-three 16th after failing to reach the green off the tee.

The Argentine, repeatedly puffing on a cigarette over the closing stretch, dropped another shot at the par-four 17th after missing the green to the left with his approach before holding on for victory.

Leading final round scores on Sunday:

285 – Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 69, 71, 76, 69.

286 – Jim Furyk (US) 71, 75, 70, 70; Tiger Woods (US) 71, 74, 69, 72.

287 – Niclas Fasth (Sweden) 71, 71, 75, 70.

289 – David Toms (US) 72, 72, 73, 72; Bubba Watson (US) 70, 71, 74, 74.

290 – Nick Dougherty (Britain) 68, 77, 74, 71; Scott Verplank (US) 73, 71, 74, 72; Jerry Kelly (US) 74, 71, 73, 72.

291 – Justin Rose (Britain) 71, 71, 73, 76; Stephen Ames (Canada) 73, 69, 73, 76; Paul Casey (Britain) 77, 66, 72, 76.

292 – Lee Janzen (US) 73, 73, 73, 73; Hunter Mahan (US) 73, 74, 72, 73; Steve Stricker (US) 75, 73, 68, 76; Aaron Baddeley (Australia) 72, 70, 70, 80.

293 – Carl Pettersson (Sweden) 72, 72, 75, 74; Tim Clark (South Africa) 72, 76, 71, 74; Jeff Brehaut (US) 73, 75, 70, 75.

294 – Anthony Kim (US) 74, 73, 80, 67; Mike Weir (Canada) 74, 72, 73, 75; Vijay Singh (Fiji) 71, 77, 70, 76.

295 – Ken Duke (US) 74, 75, 73, 73; Brandt Snedeker (US) 71, 73, 77, 74; Nick O'Hern (Australia) 76, 74, 71, 74.

296 – Camilo Villegas (Colombia) 73, 77, 75, 71; Boo Weekley (US) 72, 75, 77, 72; J.J. Henry (US) 71, 78, 75, 72; Stuart Appleby (Australia) 74, 72, 71, 79.

297 – Pablo Martin (Spain) 71, 76, 77, 73; Peter Hanson (Sweden) 71, 74, 78, 74; Fred Funk (US) 71, 78, 74, 74; D.J. Brigman (US) 74, 74, 74, 75; Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 75, 73, 73, 76; Graeme McDowell (Britain) 73, 72, 75, 77.

298 – Lee Westwood (Britain) 72, 75, 79, 72; Shingo Katayama (Japan) 72, 74, 79, 73; Mathew Goggin (Australia) 77, 73, 74, 74; Jeev Milkha Singh (India) 75, 75, 73, 75; Ian Poulter (Britain) 72, 77, 72, 77; Tom Pernice Jr (US) 72, 72, 75, 79.299 – Kenneth Ferrie (Britain) 74, 76, 77, 72; Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 71, 75, 78, 75; John Rollins (US) 75, 74, 74, 76.

300 – Marcus Fraser (Australia) 72, 78, 77, 73; Olin Browne (US) 71, 75, 80, 74; Ben Curtis (US) 71, 77, 78, 74; Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain) 70, 78, 78, 74; Zach Johnson (US) 76, 74, 76, 74; Chris DiMarco (US) 76, 73, 73, 78.

301 – Rory Sabbatini (South Africa) 73, 77, 78, 73; Charles Howell III (US) 76, 73, 77, 75; Dean Wilson (US) 76, 74, 76, 75; Ernie Els (South Africa) 73, 76, 74, 78.

302 – Anders Hansen (Denmark) 71, 79, 79, 73; Michael Putnam (US) 73, 74, 72, 83.

303 – Chad Campbell (US) 73, 72, 77, 81.

304 – Kevin Sutherland (US) 74, 76, 79, 75; Bob Estes (US) 75, 75, 77, 77; Michael Campbell (New Zealand) 73, 77, 75, 79; Harrison Frazar (US) 74, 74, 74, 82.

305 – Jason Dufner (US) 71, 75, 79, 80.

306 – George McNeill (US) 72, 76, 77, 81.—Reuters