THIRD-ROUND LEADERBOARD (US unless stated) -9 S Ames (Can) -8 V Singh (Fij), S Garcia (Spa) -6 M Weir (Can), H Stenson (Swe) -5 C Petterson (Swe), R Goosen (SA), T Pernice, B Van Pelt, J Rollins, J Furyk Selected others: -4 P Mickelson -3 JM Olazabal (Spa) -2 T Woods, E Els (SA) -1 D Clarke (NIre), I Poulter (Eng) Level B Davis (Eng), L Westwood (Eng), G Owen (Eng) +7 D Howell (Eng)

Ames edged to nine under to hold off Fiji's world number two Vijay Singh (70) and Spain's Sergio Garcia (70).

Former Masters champion Mike Weir and in-form Swede Henrik Stenson were on six under with Tiger Woods (73) and Ernie Els (72) in a pack on two under.

Darren Clarke and Ian Poulter were the best-placed Britons at one under.

But England's Greg Owen, three strokes off the lead overnight, dropped back to level par with a 77, while compatriot and European Order of Merit leader David Howell amassed an 81 for seven over.

Owen climbed to joint second after a two-birdie start, but finished the day joint 32nd after a round that included a quadruple bogey eight and a bogey, double bogey finish.

That's got to be one of the hardest courses I have ever played Ian Poulter

That dealt a big blow to his hopes of the 13th place finish he probably needs to qualify for a Masters debut in two weeks' time.

"I don't want to talk about it at the moment. Sorry," said Owen, who squandered the Bay Hill title with a double-bogey, bogey finish last week.

Poulter, requiring a top-three finish to qualify for the Masters, goes into the last day only 27th after a 75, his frustration boiling over at the 12th when he took six hacks with his club at a patch of rough.

"That's got to be one of the hardest courses I have ever played," he said.

Garcia, bidding to be the first European to win golf's unofficial "fifth major" since Sandy Lyle in 1987, said: "I don't want to get ahead of myself. The course played extremely hard and it's going to get tougher."

Maybe I can sneak in there Tiger Woods

Trinidad-born Ames, now a Canadian citizen, is also looking for his biggest victory, having been pipped four years ago by shock New Zealand winner Craig Perks, who chipped in at the 16th and 18th.

American Jim Furyk, who had led after the first two rounds, slipped back to five under after a round of 75.

Also in the group on five under were South Africa's two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen (71) and Swede Carl Pettersen (70).

World number one Woods, who has won three times in six tournaments this year, believes he still has a chance of clinching a second Players title.

"Without a doubt," said the 2001 champion, who had considered pulling out of the tournament earlier in the week because of his father's failing health.

The 74-year-old Earl Woods has been battling prostate cancer since 1998.

"Maybe I can sneak in there," Woods junior added. "But a lot depends on the course conditions tomorrow. I need it to blow like this tomorrow and hopefully I can play a great round of golf."