KAPALUA, Maui — Though the winners-only Mercedes-Benz Championship doesn't have a full field, in yesterday's third round, or moving day, there was plenty of action.

Mike Weir bolted forward, Stephen Ames stayed in place and Daniel Chopra and a bunch of Americans jumped into contention at the Kapalua Plantation course.

Weir and Ames, the only Canadians in the 31-player field, shared the lead at 10-under par at the turn yesterday. Weir played the back in 3-under, birdieing the final hole for the second straight day to seize the lead.

He takes a one-shot advantage over Nick Watney into today's final round of the PGA Tour's season-opening event. Weir, the 2003 Masters champ, shot a 5-under-par 68 and has a three-day total of 13-under 206. Vijay Singh won the $1.1 million first prize last year with a four-day total of 14-under; he found his way into the top 10 yesterday with a 67.

Watney, the first-round leader, birdied the last two — grazing the hole with a 25-foot eagle putt on the 18th — to shoot 67. Chopra, born in Sweden and raised in India, also shot 67 and shares third with Jonathan Byrd (69) at 11-under. Ames played the back nine in even par and is alone in fifth.

There are six Americans in the top nine and within four shots of Weir, including 2001 champion Jim Furyk — the last American to win this tournament. He shot yesterday's low round, a 7-under 66 with birdies on five of the final seven holes, all from within 10 feet.

His round ended 40 minutes after his beloved Steelers started their playoff game. Furyk, who grew up in Pennsylvania and now lives near Jacksonville, was invited to the game by the team.

"I guess it's too bad I won last year," said Furyk, who has won four times in Hawai'i. "I would have enjoyed that immensely."

The 2003 U.S. Open champ is the top-ranked player here at No. 3 in the World Golf Ranking. There are eight top-60 players in the top 10 after the third round. Furyk, 2007 Comeback Player of Year Steve Stricker (No. 5) — who has played the last 23 holes in 9-under — and Singh (10) are in the top 10.

There is little doubt today's final round will be a shootout, and Weir has the most bullets early. His win 10 weeks ago was his first in more than three years. At 5 feet 9, he wasn't even among the top 100 in driving distance last year. But he believes Kapalua's wet conditions have been an equalizer this year — golfers played lift, clean and place yesterday — and added to the wide-open atmosphere.

"Some of the longer guys can't separate themselves as much because the ball is not traveling out there as much," he said. "You see a lot of guys in the same areas (off the tee). That's why I think, more than ever before, that's probably why the scores are a little more bunched in."

Weir figures he needs at least a 67 to hold on today. Despite his bogey-free brilliance yesterday, he had opportunities to separate himself. He missed three putts from 11 feet and in on the back nine. There were no regrets.

"I just felt good," said Weir, who nearly chipped in for his second straight eagle on the ninth. "It was a little disappointing. You obviously want to get as low as you can because it was obviously score-able for a lot of guys. ... It was a little disappointing to see a few of them not go in, but at the same time I felt good about it."

Watney is playing here for the first time, and looking awfully comfortable. He didn't have a bogey yesterday, has missed just six fairways all week and leads the tournament in greens in regulation (93 percent) and driving distance — 267 yards on soggy fairways that provide nearly no roll and sometimes swallow balls.

The scoring average, which dropped precisely three strokes from Thursday to Friday (73.645 to 70.645), fell to 69.742 yesterday. Joe Ogilvie was the only golfer over par, at 74.

NOTES

The Champions Tour begins its season after next week's Sony Open in Hawai'i. The MasterCard Championship — the seniors' version of the Mercedes-Benz Championship — will be at Hualalai Jan. 18 to 20, followed by the year's first full-field event, the Turtle Bay Championship, Jan. 25-27 at the resort's Palmer course.

After the 30th Hawai'i Pearl Open (Feb. 8 to 10), the LPGA opens its season with the SBS Open at Turtle Bay (Feb. 14 to 16) and the Fields Open in Hawai'i (Feb. 21 to 23), with Michelle Wie expected to play in at least one of the events. The Wendy's Champions Skins Game is the same weekend as Fields (Feb. 23 to 24), moving to Ka'anapali this year after long stints at Mauna Lani and Wailea.

The tours will take time away from Hawai'i after February, but the LPGA returns in the fall for the inaugural Kapalua LPGA Classic (Oct. 16 to 19).

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.