Trickier pin positions, many of them tucked away in the corners of the turtleback greens, and shifting breezes presented a daunting challenge and only two players in the field were under par for the day as Kaymer prepared to start.
Swedish world number two Henrik Stenson birdied the par-four first hole to get to three under overall while American Rickie Fowler was two under after picking up shots at the third and fifth.
Most fans at Pinehurst, however, were anticipating the 3.25pm (local time) tee off for Kaymer who has delivered a one-man show in the season's second major while building a six-stroke overnight lead.
The 29-year-old from Duesseldorf, seeking his second major title after winning his first at the 2010 PGA Championship, was near-flawless over the first two days as he carded successive rounds of five-under 65.
Evoking memories of the runaway U.S. Open victories achieved by Tiger Woods, in 2000, and Rory McIlroy, in 2011, Kaymer has set a tournament low for 36 holes with his 10-under total of 130.
Germany's former world number one has also matched the largest ever U.S. Open lead after 36 holes, emulating Woods at Pebble Beach and McIlroy at Congressional.
"If he does it for two more days, then we're all playing for second spot," said Australian world number one Adam Scott, who trailed Kaymer by a distant 10 strokes heading into the third round and parred his first three holes on Saturday.
Little-known American Brendon Todd, alone in second place overnight after carding a 67 on Friday, reflected the views of many of his peers while praising the German's dominance so far at Pinehurst.
"Kaymer's performance has been incredible," Todd said. "He's playing a brand of golf that we haven't seen probably in a long time, since maybe Tiger."
However, Kaymer will face a very different Pinehurst layout in the third round after taking advantage of rain-softened conditions over the first two days.
"The course was playing tough," Spaniard Sergio Garcia told reporters after carding a two-over 72 on Saturday for a six-over total of 216.
"It's drying up a little bit and a little bit windier, the long holes were playing into the wind, all of them pretty much, so they were very, very challenging.
"If it stays like it was this morning ... I don't see anybody shooting better than 67. If Martin manages to shoot even par, which is a really good round, I think he's still going to have at least a six or seven shot lead."
