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The Riviera Country Club was a monster on Saturday in Round 3 of the Genesis Invitational, and most of the tournament leaders had a benign version of what it could have been. The game was suspended in the early afternoon after the wind started to shoot golf balls at the greens, but even as the gales died down and the players were brought back after a delay of four hours, the field average rose to over 73.
Part of what makes Riviera such a great hometown is that it brings so much variance into play on every hole. While normal PGA Tour courses rarely deviate from a birdie-bogey gap, doubles appear to be in play on most holes in Riviera (all but two have seen doubles so far this week).
Sam Burns has sailed this danger as well as anyone (more on that below). He was part of the contingent that failed to finish due to the darkness on Saturday, but his position before Sunday is similar to his position before Saturday. He’s out on the court trying to end his first career PGA Tour win on a golf course that feels like a major championship.
We’ll take a look at where it stands and who will continue before Sunday.
1. Sam Burns (-10 to 13): By the time the third round ends early Sunday morning in Riviera, Burns will likely have accomplished something. this has not happened for 50 years leading squarely after each of the first three laps here. The bad news for him is that he has some of the best players of his (or any) generation on his heels with little more than one round to go in the event and he hasn’t. very well closed the tour of Saturday. He was a live favorite for most of the day, according to William Hill Sportsbook, but he rolls on a pretty hot putter. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him disappear on Sunday, although it would be a hell of a place for him to grab the No.1 win. Plus, if his short game looks like this on Sunday, it’s an end.
2. Matthew Fitzpatrick (-8 to 17): The Englishman led the field in winning shots from tee to green on Saturday, and his short game is still sublime. I always come back to his weekend at Memorial when he shot 68 on Sunday when no one else on the field broke 70. Remember that one if he takes a break in the final round.
T3. Dustin Johnson (-7 to 13): It would be good for Burns if DJ didn’t make his way into the final group when everyone finished Round 3 early Sunday morning. DJ leads the field in winning shots from tee to green, and it looks like he’s only been winding the course for three days, but is now in a prime position to win this tournament for the second time in five years. .
T3. Max Homa (-7 to 13): He did a 3 out of # 10 on Saturday which made me laugh out loud. As significant as winning the Wells Fargo Championship was for him a few years ago, I can’t imagine how important it would be for him to win in LA The sub-story here is that Homa quietly turned into a claiming legitimate at big events almost on an incredibly consistent basis.
6. Patrick Cantlay (-6 to 16): It’s no surprise that Cantlay is playing well. He had a good run, has a history here and is an elite ball forward. Only a handful of players have been better off the tee to the green this week, and he’s most likely to shoot 64 right in front of the leaders and steal one.
T12. Jordan Spieth (-4 to 15): Spieth passed out a bit late on Saturday and is at risk of ending his streak of 11 consecutive measured laps in which he won shots on the field with his iron game. It will take a pretty special Sunday (especially with his putter) to chase Burns and keep DJ and Cantlay on, but a third straight top-five spot is definitely on the table.
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