BURNS’ LEAD SURVIVES WINDY DAY AT RIVIERA

Sam Burns watched his five-shot lead shrink to two in a matter of two holes late Saturday afternoon at Riviera, reason to feel discouraged until realizing no one had it any easier at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles.

Riviera is enough of a test on its own. Throw in raging wind that caused a four-hole delay, it was tough on everyone. Burns went 31 consecutive holes with a bogey, a streak that ended on No. 8. When the third round was halted by darkness, he made back-to-back bogeys that dropped him to 10-under par, two shots ahead of Matt Fitzpatrick.

Dustin Johnson, Max Homa and Wyndham Clark were another shot behind.

The third round was to resume this morning.

“Even the downwind holes weren’t that much easier because it was hard to stop it there on the green,” Burns said. “Just not a lot of opportunities out there today.”

It was the first time a PGA Tour event was suspended by high wind since Torrey Pines in 2016, when only 23 players finished the final round before 40 mph gust toppled trees and blew windows out of tents.

This wind was strong enough to blow Keegan Bradley’s putt off the 10th green, and it nearly blew Homa’s splendid 5-iron into the par-5 first into the hole, leaving a tap-in eagle.

When play resumed, it wasn’t much easier.

Only eight of 67 players managed to hit the green on the 242-yard fourth hole. The par-3 14th was playing at 189 yards downwind, leaving players 8-iron and 9irons. Only 10 hit that green.

“It’s very difficult no matter into the wind, downwind,” Johnson said. “It’s just really hard to judge the distance. But I feel like I’m playing pretty solid. Hadn’t really made any putts, but I’m pleased with where I’m at.” Burns, the 24-year-old from Louisiana going for his first PGA Tour victory, starts today on the 14th hole.

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

Fitzpatrick had a most bizarre round by going 10 consecutive holes without a par — six birdies, four bogeys.

“This golf course does it to you,” Fitzpatrick said. “You’ve really got to stick in, you’ve got to plot your way around and miss in the right areas, even missing fairways in the right areas with this wind to give you a bit better angle. On the whole, you’ve just got to be really smart around this place.” Tiger Woods showed up right about the time play was halted. Woods is the tournament host who is not playing as he recovers from a fifth back surgery.

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 the wind when they resumed. Everyone was dropping shots and hanging on for dear life.

Only 12 other players were under par for their rounds, none better than 2 under. The average score when play was suspended was 73.3.