Wind wins the day at Riviera

Burns’ lead cut from five to two

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. — The wind stopped Sam Burns right when he was about to get started with a five-shot lead Saturday at the Genesis Invitational. Darkness stopped him right after consecutive bogeys narrowed his lead to two.

Thus ended a wild afternoon at Riviera, where the wind was raging so strong that it blew Keegan Bradley’s putt off the green at No. 10 and nearly blew Max Homa’s shot into the hole at the par-5 first.

A four-hour delay didn’t make Riviera any easier.

Burns, the 24-year-old from Louisiana, went 31 consecutive holes without a bogey and kept Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and everyone else at a distance. When the streak ended on No. 8, it was the start of three inevitable bogeys over six holes.

“It’s a hard course with no wind, ”Burns said.

He was at 10-under par through 13 holes, two shots ahead of Matt Fitzpatrick, who had a most bizarre round by going 10 consecutive holes without a par — six birdies, four bogeys.

Johnson, Homa and Wyndham Clark were at 7 under, with Patrick Cantlay another shot behind. The third round was set to be completed Sunday morning ahead of the final 18 holes.

The wind was blowing golf balls on the green, and then the PGA Tour said a piece of communications equipment toppled near the 14th tee and they brought everyone in.

Not much changed with thewind when they resumed. Everyone was dropping shots and hanging on for dear life.

The greens were so firm, the wind whipping so hard, that even from 99 yards away on the 13th hole Johnson, No. 1 in the world rankings, landed the ball some 50 feet short.

Only 12 other players were under par for their rounds, none better than 2 under.