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WGC DELL MATCH PLAY

March 21, 2017

Dustin Johnson

Austin, Texas

CANDACE REINHEIMER: We have Dustin Johnson in the interview room. Dustin, this is your first event since winning the World Golf Championships in Mexico. And with a win here at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, that will complete your World Golf Championship plethora of victories. Your thoughts on hopefully that accomplishment and also the course in general this week.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I like the golf course.

Last year I think I made it the furthest I've ever made it in the match play. So that was pretty exciting.

But, yeah, the golf course, I really like this golf course. I think it's good. I think it's fun for match play. It would be fun even in a stroke play event. This is the only WGC I haven't won, so, yeah, it would be very nice to get this trophy. I think I've got a tough bracket, a lot of good players. But every bracket on there is going to be tough. Going to have to play really good golf.

Q. We hear that anything that can happen in match play. But two years ago Rory was No. 1 when he won here. Last year Jason turned No. 1 by winning here. Do you feel you have any sort of advantage by being No. 1 coming into it?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I don't think so. I'm playing very well right now, I think that's my advantage. But playing match play doesn't matter if you're No. 1 or whatever number you are, that doesn't matter, because it's only 18 holes. And anything can happen. At least now I get to play three rounds instead of just one.

There at Dove Mountain, I played a lot of one-rounders there. At least I get three chances to make it through here. So I do like that. It makes it a little more fun for the guys. But, yeah, I went to Dove Mountain a lot and went home on Wednesday afternoon.

I've got a good group of guys that I've got to play against. I've got to play very well if I want to make it through and make it to Saturday.

Q. Speaking of Dove Mountain, when you lost twice on a bomber's course to Mark Wilson, if I'm not mistaken?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I think I got beat twice there. But that course wasn't a bomber's course.

Q. If you hit it straight, it was a bomber's course.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I guess. I don't know. I played in the desert a lot there.

Q. Just the idea, when you take the style of game of yours and lose twice to someone who doesn't hit it quite as far as you, is that a reminder at all to you just how much it's unpredictable here?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, match play is very unpredictable. Any day the guy you're playing against can shoot a very low score that no matter how -- you can play very well and still get beat. So match play, that's why it's fun. It's exciting for everyone to watch. And it's fun for us to play, too. You have a bad hole, you can just pick up and go to the next one, so that's nice, also.

Q. What is the difference to you between winning this week and playing well? Is it more important for you to leave Austin thinking your game is really sharp for two weeks from now or does a win do it? How do you justify those two things in your mind?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Obviously I've got three days, three rounds to play. I've got three matches, no matter what. I feel like the game is pretty sharp right now. And I stayed -- and I practiced a little bit the last couple of weeks. So I feel like I stayed in good form. And just have to see.

I could play three good rounds and still not make it through. So I don't know how you judge on your finish. Obviously I want to be playing on Sunday for the championship, but you just never know what's going to happen.

Q. Also, after winning The Open last year at Oakmont, did that change the way you prepare for majors? Did it change the way you prepare for the Masters, knowing you've broken through in a major like that?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I'm not going to change the way I prepare. What I'm doing right now seems to be working fairly well, so I think I'll stick with it for now. But you definitely have a different mentality. Now I'm not going into a major trying to win my first one. I've got one. So it's definitely a nice feeling.

Q. A lot of the guys I talked to today said they're taking the week off before the Masters, why do you find it important to play in Houston?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I had two weeks off the last couple of weeks. I like Houston. I seem to play well there usually. I feel like playing into Augusta does me more good than going up there to practice early. I've played there a bunch of times now, so I know the golf course pretty well. But for me, keeping my game sharp and playing at Houston definitely seems like it's helped me the last couple of years. We'll try it again this year.

Q. You talked about having won the major. Does that relax you more on the course and does it maybe show up more in nerves on the greens, short putts or how does it factor into your game?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I always feel like I'm pretty relaxed out there. But it doesn't matter, though, on Sundays, on the back nine when the tournament is on the line, there's definitely nerves kicking. I feel like I could -- I know how to handle it a little bit better now and know what my golf swing does. But, yeah, it doesn't matter what tournament it is, if I've got a chance to win it, it's definitely got some nerves going, but I feel like I'm more in control of them.

Q. When you talk about the mishaps you've had in the majors, as you look back, which was the worst one to you?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: All of them.

Q. I was hoping for maybe just --
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Which one was the worst?

Q. Which one was the hardest to get over, do you think?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Probably the PGA was pretty -- it wasn't hard to get over, but it was just pretty disappointing, when you think you're going into a playoff and then 30 seconds later, nope, you're not.

Q. The reason I ask is now that you've got The Open, Jordan had a bit of a mishap last year at the Masters, and one of the lines of thinking was at least he's got a green jacket -- you know, he's already got a green jacket. He's already got majors. Can you appreciate that sense now that you have one?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, for sure, because I feel like I could have had a few more. But that's just major championships. It's very hard to get it done. But the last few that I've been close and obviously winning at Oakmont last year, but I felt like I played really good golf on Sunday to get myself chances to win. Just some unfortunate things happened a couple of times.

But, yeah, it's definitely nice to know now that I've got one. Hopefully will have some more.

Q. When Adam had a four-shot lead with four to go at Lytham and lost and came out of that saying that he felt good because he knew he had the game to win a major, can you relate to that?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you know, probably the -- after the PGA, because I had -- earlier that summer was Pebble, where I played terrible in the final round. And then kind of in the same situation in the last group on Sunday at PGA at Whistling Straits, and played very well. Everyone remembers the penalty I got on 18, but I birdied 16 and 17 to get the one-shot lead going into 18.

In those situations, knowing that I have the game, I have what it takes to perform on Sundays in majors, that definitely gives you a lot of confidence or it gave me a lot of confidence and helped me win at Oakmont this past year. I mean, kind of the same thing the year before where I had -- whatever that course was -- Chambers Bay -- you know, I played very well. And I needed to birdie 17 and 18. Birdie 17 and hit two great shots on 18, just unfortunately the greens weren't too smooth. But everybody was putting on them, so it happens.

Q. You talk about playing this week and next week, but how excited are you to get to Augusta, maybe different than years past? Did you feel like this would be the chance to do what Jordan has done, get The Open-Masters combo? How excited are you this year that maybe you haven't been in the past?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I always look forward to going to play Augusta. I'm not anymore excited than normal. Right now I'm focused on this week. Augusta is still two weeks away. I've got two more tournaments to play before I get there. I'll focus on Augusta when I pull down Magnolia Lane.

Q. Are you doing anything in Houston to prepare that way or do you just play the golf tournament?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Doesn't matter, you play at Augusta or Houston or wherever you play, you've got to hit golf shots. There's no different shots that you need to hit at Augusta than you need to hit anywhere else. You just hit the shot for the hole.

Q. Along those lines, when you left Augusta last year, were you hot under the collar at all from your doubles or walking away feeling like --
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, obviously, I didn't putt very well all week. I hit it plenty well enough to have won, and I just didn't roll the putter very well. Obviously, doubling 17 from the middle of the fairway is not very good. I thought I made a 2 when I hit the shot, but it ended up I hit it in the bunker and I think I three-putted after that. So thanks for bringing that up, though (laughter).

But I hit some good shots to get myself in contention there on Sunday, especially the one I hit on 15 was pretty sporty from the left trees over there. It was nice. But, yeah, it was still my best finish at the Masters. I played pretty well on Sunday, other than 17. But, yeah, I think I made quite a few doubles. I think it was more putting was my issue that week.

Q. (No microphone.)
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I can't remember, either. I do remember 17 because I flagged an 8-iron and came up short in the bunker.

I three-putted, I missed two really short ones for a three-putt.

Q. Dustin, you're either the oldest or second oldest player to have won this year, this calendar year. Do you have any explanation why these younger guys are winning more often and more consistently?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I didn't even know that. Am I considered an old player now? Geez. I mean, the guys that are the younger guys on Tour, I guess I can say the younger guys, I feel like I'm one of the young guys, but they're very good. There's a lot of great players, a lot of great young players, myself included, that are on the Tour. But it's good to see. It's good to see. There's a handful of really good young players that are out on Tour right now.

Q. Where were you in '97, and what was your recollection of Tiger winning the Masters that year and just what you thought of it? You were 12, if that helps (laughter).
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Then I have no idea where I was. Probably at home. Don't even know where that would have been. South Carolina somewhere.

Yeah, I remember watching it. Could I tell you the shots he was hitting? No. But I do remember watching it and watching him win. That was a long time ago, 20 years ago. Wow.

Q. Do you remember where you were yesterday?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I think I was in Austin. I arrived here yesterday afternoon. I do remember that.

CANDACE REINHEIMER: Thank you, Dustin, and good luck this week.

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