Canada's Stephen Ames recovered from an early double-bogey to edge one shot clear in treacherous, gusting winds at the Players Championship last night.

Ames, who three-putted from 14 feet at the par-four fifth, fired a two-under-par 70 in the third round at the TPC at Sawgrass to finish at nine-under 207.

That left him a stroke in front of world number two Vijay Singh and sixth-ranked Sergio Garcia, who carded matching 70s playing together in the day's penultimate pairing.

Darren Clarke, eight shots adrift at one-under, has almost certainly left himself with too much to do going into the final round.

Clarke, who last Saturday equalled his lowest-ever round in America with a 63 at the Bay Hill Invitational, birdied the first and made an 11-foot eagle putt on the second.

Three more birdies followed, but there was also a double bogey at the eighth when he three-putted from only nine feet and then another on the last after he carved his drive into the rough.

With two bogeys on his card as well Clarke was round in 72 for one under.

Canada's Mike Weir, who holed out from 128 yards for an eagle two at the par-four fourth, fired a joint best-of-the-day 68 to finish in a tie for fourth at six-under 210.

Level with Weir was big-hitting Swede Henrik Stenson, who aced the 175-yard 13th on his way to a 70.

Twice US Open champion Retief Goosen (71) was a further stroke back in a share of sixth with Americans Jim Furyk (75), Tom Pernice junior (71), Bo Van Pelt (72), John Rollins (72) and Swede Carl Pettersson (70).

Furyk, one stroke clear overnight, surrendered his advantage with a double-bogey at the par-five second hole.

The 2003 US Open champion had to take a penalty drop after pushing his drive well right off the tee. After reaching the green in four shots, he putted off the back of the slick surface with his first attempt before holing out for a seven.

He then bogeyed the par-three third after finding the back left bunker off the tee and experienced a roller-coaster ride for the rest of the day as the leaderboard fluctuated wildly at the TPC at Sawgrass.

Eight players held at least a share of the lead on a day when the scoring average ballooned to 74.60. With the winds gusting up to 36 kph, only five players shot under 60 and eight returned scores in the 80s.

World number one Tiger Woods rattled up four birdies and five bogeys to finish at two-under 214.

Like everyone else, the 2001 champion struggled with club selection in the gusting winds but believes he has a chance of winning his fourth title of the year in seven starts.

"Without a doubt, but a lot depends on the course conditions tomorrow," he said. "I need it to blow like this tomorrow and hopefully I can play a great round of golf."

Of the other big names in the tournament dubbed the fifth major, US PGA champion Phil Mickelson fired a 69 to finish at four under, with three-times major winner Ernie Els a further two strokes back after a 72.