|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
MASTERS TOURNAMENTApril 7, 2015Dustin JohnsonAUGUSTA, GEORGIA MODERATOR: Good afternoon, it's a pleasure to welcome Dustin Johnson back to Augusta National for his sixth Masters appearance. In 2014, Dustin won the WGC HSBC Championship and followed the victory with seven Top‑10 finishes, including a tie for fourth at the U.S. Open. So far in 2015, Dustin has been one of the hottest players on Tour, winning the WGC Cadillac Championship for his ninth career PGA victory. And with that victory, Dustin has won at least one event for the eighth consecutive year, the longest current streak on the Tour. Dustin, welcome back to Augusta National, great to have you with us. If you don't mind, maybe open with a few comments and share with us about your game coming into the tournament and then we'll open it up for Q&A. DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, I played this year, I've had pretty much every start I've contended, so I feel like my game is really good right now. I got here Sunday. I actually came up last week Tuesday and Wednesday, practiced a little bit, and then came back up on Sunday afternoon. Played nine yesterday, 18 today. The course is in fantastic condition, just like it is every year. It's always my favorite place to come to every year. Growing up so close to here, it's always a treat for me to be here. Q. What do you need to do to get to that next level where you're winning majors? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I've played well in a lot of the majors, so my game is there, I think. Winning a major, it takes every part of your game being really good that week. Right now, I feel really confident in the game. But around here, it's so difficult. Everything's difficult, whether you're hitting shots into the greens, chipping and putting, it's very difficult. So you've really got to be on top of your game. You've got to control your ball. You're really going to have to chip and putt it well. Q. To that end, a couple years ago when you played well here, you talked about how it's always a learning experience and how certain parts of your game still needed improving, notably more consistency with your irons and putting. Where do you think those parts of your game are now compared to two years ago? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Right now, I think everything's pretty good. I really feel like I can control my irons very well. I feel like I'm driving the ball a little bit straighter. You can always get better chipping and putting. I'm real confident in my pitching and chipping, and then also I feel good with the putter right now. I feel comfortable on these greens. I think I've got the speed down pretty good. It's all about leaving yourself putts where you can be aggressive with them. So trying to get uphill putts all day, I mean, that's very hard to do out here, but the more that you can have, the better you're going to play. Q. What do you think has held you back here in the past, and secondly, does this one, does this Masters, in particular, feel any different, given kind of everything you've gone through and then obviously winning earlier this year? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don't know. I mean, the golf course, I feel like sets up very well for me. Just haven't really put it all together. So, I mean, I really can't explain it. I feel like I should play well here. But this year, I feel a little bit better coming in here, a little more confident in my game. I feel like I'm doing the right things with the golf game. I feel like continuing to get a little bit better. You know, with my play this year, definitely playing a lot more consistent and more solid coming in here. Q. What, if anything, has changed for you personally or professionally since the last time you played here with the time off? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I feel like with my golf game, like I said, it's more consistent. I'm in a lot more of a routine on the golf course, off the golf course. I haven't really changed too much except for going to the gym. I'm going to the gym a lot more consistently, where before in the past years, I would go to the gym, just not very much. Or I would go and then I'd take a month or two off. You know, it was just sporadic. Now I'm in a routine where I'm going pretty much every day, whether I'm at a tournament or I'm at home. So that's been a big difference. Q. Is there any particular hole that worries you more than average here? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, all the holes, they are all different, but 12 is always a tough hole. But for me, I tend to, for some reason, I never play like 9 and 17 very well for some reason. That's what it feels like. I don't know what my scores have been there. But those to me set up‑‑ you'd think 9 would be perfect because I like to draw it, but for some reason, I hit it in the right trees every time on that hole. 7, 9 and 17 are holes where I think if I can score pretty good on those, I'll feel really comfortable on the rest of them. Q. Do you feel like a different person at all now, even to maybe a year ago? Do you feel like you're still in a transition period as a person? DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, definitely feel different. I'm a father now, so that's been the best thing that's happened this year. You know, couldn't be in a better place right now in my life. I feel like my golf game's really good. My personal life's doing great. Yeah, I definitely feel different. Q. How many takes did it take, that new ad, the TaylorMade ad where you hit it 343, do you know what I'm talking about? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah. Q. How many takes did it take till you got one that they liked? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Just one. That was the first hole we did. Q. One shot, 343, that was hit? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, the point of it was to hit‑‑ they wanted me to hit one and then hit one a little bit farther, and then that was the third shot that I hit. Q. Where did you shoot that? DUSTIN JOHNSON: It was down at Doral. Q. Can't you hit it a lot farther than 343? DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, not much. That's as far‑‑ and it's a little bit into the wind, but yeah, that's about as good as I could hit one. Q. Where is your residence? Still in Florida? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Still live in Florida. Q. Are you considering moving to California? Is that a thought at all? DUSTIN JOHNSON: No. Q. Comfortable in Florida? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I like Florida, yeah. I'll visit California a lot, but I'm not going to live there. Q. And you still have your home in Myrtle Beach; correct? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don't know ‑‑ no, I sold it, but I think I'm I still kind of own it. I'm like an owner finance, I don't know. You'd have to ask my accountant (laughter). Q. Just some particulars from today, the practice round that you guys played, who won that match and what were the teams? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Me and Brandt played against Phil and Rickie, and me and Brandt did okay. Q. How do you mark your ball and has that changed the last couple years? DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I mark with a quarter. Q. As far as like a mark on the ball to identify it? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I use a red line through the TaylorMade. As long as I can remember, I've done that. It used to be a black one, but I changed it to a red. Q. You haven't added any smiley faces? DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, not yet. Q. Were you hitting 3‑wood today off No. 10? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I always do. Q. Is it just for positioning to give you the best distance into that green? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, 3‑wood is easier to turn over than a driver. It goes in the same spot, even if you do get a driver and hook it around the corner because the driver flies down into the flap, where like a 3‑wood just lands on the downslope and runs. So they go in the same spot, and if you hit a 3‑wood and don't turn it, it doesn't go into the trees. I've tried driver there a few times, but it doesn't work so well. Q. I saw your face light up when you talked about you and Brandt doing okay today. What do those matches do for you mentally as you prepare for this gauntlet out here? DUSTIN JOHNSON: It just helps because you know you put a little pressure on yourself. It's only Tuesday, but to hit some shots so you can kind of‑‑ when you've got to hit a shot, whether you're playing with your buddies or whoever you're playing with, when you've got a little pressure and you need to hit a shot, just to see how you're swinging and kind of simulate a little bit of tournament play just to see what you need to work on either later that day or on Wednesday. Q. Is there a little more satisfaction in beating Phil considering how competitive and how chirpy he is? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Oh, it's always fun (smiling). It's always fun. Q. You mentioned before how this is a special tournament for you because it's so close to where you grew up. Is there anything that when you do come back here as far as getting away from the course for even just a little bit to see some of the people you grew up with, or some of the places your family, anything like that? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, my family all comes down, so I get to see them. My friends, they all get to come on practice round days. It's good. I get to see my buddies. But I get to see most of my good friends throughout the year. They will come to Florida or come somewhere and hang out. But it's nice to see people that I don't normally get to. Q. Do you use the locker room here in the clubhouse or are you one of the guys who comes in and goes straight to the driving range? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I use the locker room for my shoes. I'm not in there very long. Most of the guys hang out in the caddie area. Q. That's what I was trying to ask you‑‑ DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah. Q. How is the food in there? DUSTIN JOHNSON: It's good. They did a great job. If you walk in, most of the players kind of hang out back there. Q. How do you assess your golf career to this point in relation to your expectations, and if I ask you this question two years from now, do you think your answer will change and your assessment will be different? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Hopefully it will change. I think I've done okay. I think it's good. It's not‑‑ you know, it hasn't been great yet. But I mean, for right now, I think I've had a good career. But eventually I want to say I've had a great career. Q. Where you are right now, do you feel you may be on the verge of greatness soon? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I think it's getting close. Q. Imagine going to a playoff, who would be the player that you wouldn't like to be against? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Oh, I don't care. I'll take anyone. I'm in a playoff to have a chance to win. I don't care who is in the playoff with me. Doesn't matter. Q. We saw you chip‑in on No.9 today. How important is the chipping around these greens for this week and for your game? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Chipping around here is very important, but also, too, I think your strategy is just as important to where you hit the shot. If you miss it in the right spots, you can have chips that are fairly easy to get up‑and‑down. But if you hit it in the wrong spot, a lot of times, unless you hit an absolute perfect chip, you're going to have no chance to get up‑and‑down. I think it has a lot to do with all aspects of your game. But chipping is very important around here, but you really have to control the spin, control where you're landing it, and it's tough to chip around here unless you leave it in the proper position. Q. Was there one Masters as a kid that you might have watched on TV that really captured your imagination? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I think, what was it, first one Tiger won in '97. I remember watching that one. I mean, I watched every one, but that was one that I remember watching sitting at home, for sure. Q. I'm sure your family and parents will be here. Is Tatum and Paulina and the Gretzky family, are they coming, as well? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Everybody will be here. Paulina and Tatum, they're flying up probably right now. And then the Gretzkys are coming in tonight, too. Q. You talk about your affinity for this course and length and everything, does it seem like a place you would have a better than average chance to win a first major? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I've contended in all the other ones, just not here. To me, yeah, this one sets up the best for me. It's just a place where, like I said, you've got to have everything working that week. You've got to be driving it well. You've got to hit your irons well. You've got to putt and chip well. Who knows what will happen this week. I definitely feel the most confident in my game so far coming in this week than I have in years past, where I feel like everything's working fairly good right now. MODERATOR: Thank you, Dustin. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|