Merritt set an early target with a course record 10-under-par 61 to go 14-under, a figure matched at the end of the round by Chappell, who shot a 67 for his 199 total at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia.
One shot back on the crowded leaderboard was reigning Players Championship and Scottish Open winner Rickie Fowler after a 68.
Another stroke back were Americans Charles Howell III (67) and Jason Bohn (67), Sweden's David Lingmerth (68) and 23-year-old Kim Meen-whee of South Korea (67).
Japan's Ryo Ishikawa, who led by one after the second round, shot a 71 and was tied for eighth at 11-under along with Englishman Justin Rose (65), Carl Pettersson of Sweden (64) and American Bill Haas (64).
Falling down the leaderboard was Woods, who began the day tied for fifth, three shots off the pace, but plunged to nine behind after posting a three-over 74.
Woods posted a 66 in Friday's second round for his lowest score in relation to par this year and found himself in the hunt, a rare occurrence in his dismal season.
But the 14-times major winner, coming back from back surgery and another swing change, was wild off the tee, missing his first six fairways and hitting only 10 of 18 greens in regulation.
Woods, whose world ranking has plummeted to 266th, has recorded three missed cuts, a withdrawal and just one top-25 finish in eight starts on the 2014-15 PGA Tour.
Merritt, making his 96th PGA Tour start, carded five birdies in a row out of the gate, then added a four-birdie run from the 12th in his brilliant round of 11 birdies and a lone bogey.here!
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