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JB Holmes has won the PGA Tour's Genesis Open after playing partners Justin Thomas and Adam Scott imploded in the final round.

Adam Scott refused to blame Genesis Open winner JB Holmes' slow play after squandering a big chance to claim his first US PGA Tour victory in nearly three years.

Instead, former world No.1 Scott lamented poor driving and putting that cost him dearly on the final day at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.

Scott played in the final group alongside Holmes and Justin Thomas during a final day when the trio played 34 holes due bad weather earlier.

They took a lamentable five and a half hours to play the last round but, with strong winds, weren't put on the clock by officials.

Holmes fired a one-under-par 70 - the only player in the group to shoot under par - and finished at 14-under for a one-shot win from 54-hole leader Thomas (75).

Scott's 76 sank him to a share of seventh at eight under, overtaken by Marc Leishman (68) who was the leading Australian, tied fourth at 11 under.

Searching for his first win since March 2016, Scott was within one of the lead after seven holes.

But he then missed six consecutive putts inside 10 feet, starting at the par-4 eighth, which he bogeyed.

Hitting just six of 14 fairways in the round, Scott also bogeyed the ninth before four more bogeys on the back nine.

Holmes is known as one of the tour's slowest players and was criticised on the TV broadcast and social media.

But Scott said it had little effect on his own result.

"Look, we know he's generally a slow player and when you get conditions like this, everyone turns into a slow player," Scott said.

"It wasn't affecting (me). Slow play is never going to change; I think until television and sponsors say, 'no more money,' slow play isn't going to change."

Holmes defended his 5.5-hour round, insisting the $US1.3 million winner's cheque and blustery conditions were reasons for being deliberate on every shot.

"Well, you play in 25-mile-an-hour winds and see how fast you play ... (especially) when you're playing for the money and (FedEx Cup) points we are," he said.

"I've been slow in the past (but) I've gotten better; there are times when I'm probably too slow, but I was never even close to being on the clock all week."

Event host Tiger Woods was among those who struggled on Sunday.

His 72 dropped him to six-under, tied for 15th, after the 14-time major winner had rocketed into contention with a third-round 65.

Australians Aaron Baddeley and Cameron Smith signed for rounds of 73 and 74, respectively, to finish at even par.