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TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

September 24, 2016

Dustin Johnson

Atlanta, Georgia

THE MODERATOR: Dustin, not quite the round you were looking for today, but you're still tied for the lead heading into tomorrow. Can you assess your round for us?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I thought I played pretty well, just a couple of loose drives on the back side and made a couple bogeys and that double on 17. Other than that, I thought the round was pretty solid. I played very well, missed a few good opportunities for birdie on 8, 9, and 2. But other -- I felt like I hit good putts. They just didn't go in.

Other than that, I thought it was a really solid day.

Q. Can you talk about what happened on 17? What you were trying to do and what happened?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I was just trying -- I had 153. I was just trying to hit a 9 iron with the face open and try to just cut it, just try to get it just left of the green somewhere. I just shot a little bit of right, nicked that tree coming out and ended up in a terrible spot there, just 50 yards or 60 yards in the rough. It was just a tough shot. I was just trying to get that one on the green, and it just came out a little bit soft.

Hit a pretty good bunker shot and then not so good putt.

Q. Did you think about coming in lower, maybe from the bunker?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I did. I thought about just trying to hit it in the front bunker, which I probably should have done. Probably would have made 4 if I'd have done that.

But it is what it is. You know, I came back and birdied the last hole, tied for the lead going into tomorrow. You know, I like my position. I feel like I'm playing really well. So need to go out tomorrow and do the same thing I did today, just get off to a good start and hopefully try to finish off a little better.

Q. What did you hit on the last?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: 7 iron. That one came out a little right too. I hit a really good shot. I just kind of squared it a little bit. But it's hard. This rough is really hard to control the ball out of it.

Q. Hi, Dustin. Congratulations. Doing really well. Tell me about the dynamic of seeing plenty of Kevin right now. What's that like between you, playing so often together?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, it's good. Kevin's a buddy of mine. We played a lot of college golf together, some amateur golf. So I enjoy playing with Kevin. Tomorrow's going to be a fun day hopefully. Hopefully, I can go out and play some really good golf again tomorrow.

Q. Is it a good thing to be playing with the same person all the time? Does that suit you? Do you have any stance on that?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: It doesn't matter who I play with.

Q. Dustin, do you feel at all advantaged now? You'll be paired with a guy who hasn't won out here. With your credentials, is that an advantage at all for you on a Sunday?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, obviously, I'll have -- I've got a lot of confidence going into tomorrow, and I know I can get it done out here. I've won quite a few times out here. So that definitely helps. You know, it's definitely an advantage, I think, but you've still got to go out and play some really good golf.

Q. Dustin, a lot of golfers are kind of geeky about their game, and yesterday you were talking about practicing three shots with each of your wedges. I was wondering if you can explain about that a little bit more.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I just got -- I mean, I've got three different shots with each wedge. I just call it I've got a half shot, a three-quarters shot, and a full shot. That's what I practice.

Q. The tee shot you missed today appeared to be a little right. Is that the standard miss now? What do you do when that happens?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah. I mean, nothing. Go up and hit the next one. Out here, when you miss it, sometimes it looks a lot worse than it actually is. These fairways are so narrow, you've really got to hit good drives to hit it in the fairway.

Yeah, I mean, I just missed a couple.

Q. Kevin said he was looking forward, he wanted to watch you play. Any time in your career have you been interested to watch someone play that you were playing with?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I remember the first time I played with Tiger. That was back a while ago. That was when he was really, really good. So, yeah, I'd always look forward to playing with guys like that or played with Freddy. My first time ever playing with Freddy or some of the older guys who I grew up watching. It was always really, really cool to do that.

Obviously, me and Kevin kind of grew up together, but I've had a great year and have been playing pretty solid the last few years here on Tour. So I take it as a compliment.

Q. Apologies for being kind of hypothetical here, but there's a situation tomorrow where Rory, who's two behind were to win, and you finished in a two-way tie for second, then he would actually win the FedExCup. Knowing that, does that affect anything if you were to be in a position like that coming down to the end?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I mean, I'm still going to go out and try to play as good as I can. Obviously, there's a lot of scenarios that could happen, but, yeah, I'm still going to go out and try to shoot as low a score as possible.

Obviously, if I was tied with Kevin on the last hole, I'm probably going to be a little more aggressive.

Q. I spoke with your trainer yesterday, Joey D. He seemed to be very into golf science and he told me he have a book coming out. I wonder which way you communicate with him. Is it science?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don't understand what you're asking.

Q. I just wonder if, when your trainer/coach, he uses a lot of science regarding the swing and --
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don't think so, but not with me. There's not a whole lot of science going on here [ laughter ].

Q. Dustin, obviously, you've had a really impressive season. Do you feel like you need to win tomorrow concerning the position you're in to sort of validate everything? If you didn't, does it leave a bad taste in your mouth after the season you've had?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah. I mean, if I play well, I think I got a great shot at it. Obviously, yeah, I want to go out and win tomorrow. I think -- and win the FedExCup, win this tournament. That's my goal is to go out and do that.

I don't know. You'll have to ask me afterwards how I feel if I don't.

Q. When did you first meet Fred Couples? Do you see any similarities to you guys as players?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah. The first time I met him would have been, I think, my first year on Tour out here in '08. Yeah, I mean, he was always someone that I kind of looked up to, him and Davis really -- I liked their games when I was growing up. I think Freddy has -- like his mentality, he seems like he's always kind of easygoing out there and never gets upset and always looks like he's having fun.

Q. Can't tell when he's not relaxed?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Exactly.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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