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THE PRESIDENTS CUP

September 27, 2017

Dustin Johnson

Jersey City, New Jersey

Q. What's your favorite thing about having Kuchar as a teammate and what do you think makes you a good team?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: We've played together before. We get along really well. We push each other to play well. We enjoy each other's company and we have a lot of fun out there. I know our games are kind of opposite but we seem to mesh well together on the golf course. It just seems to work.

Q. Are you looking forward to coming up against Scotty and Vegas?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, they are going to be a tough match. Me and Kuch are both playing well, though, so we're looking forward to it. It's definitely going to be a tough match.

Q. Scotty is regarded as the most passionate about the Internationals finally getting a win. Do you think it would be like a moral blow if you were to beat him on the first day?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, we want to win as many matches as possible, but I mean, it's still day one. There's only five points out there. There's still a lot more matches to be played. But yeah, I mean, we're going to go out and do everything we can to get a point for our team tomorrow.

Q. What do you think of the rerouting of the golf course?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, you still have to play all 18 holes, so it doesn't matter what numbers they are. But yeah, I think it's fine the way it is. It's going to, I think the way they did it, most matches end around 16 or 17. You probably won't see too many matches going to 18, but who knows, this week every match will probably go to 18. It's one of those things, you just don't know.

Q. Strategically with Kuch, for you, it bombs away --
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, I feel like I hit a lot of fairways. I'm the straight driver in the group. Yeah, it's good. We're both driving it good. Yeah, he drives it well, hits it straight. I do hit a little bit longer clubs in the greens but that's okay. We have a good game plan of how we're going to play. We practiced a little bit out there today, playing some alternate-shot and it was a lot of fun. We played well. We're looking forward to it.

Q. You have Tiger, obviously not playing this week, but he's in your corner in the team room, helping out any way he can. How bad do you want to see him come back, and what would that be like to play against Tiger, maybe not 100 percent, but somewhere in the vicinity?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, yeah, I think, well, Tiger is good for the game of golf. You know, all of us have a lot to be thankful for for him. You know, he grew this game tremendously, and you know, he helped us all out a lot, making the game very popular. We make a lot more money because of him.

You know, I'd like to see him come back and play, and play well. It's good for golf. You know, it would be a lot of fun. I got to play against him when he was, you know, playing very well, and I've played on teams with him. He was on the -- he helped out at The Ryder Cup last year. Spent a lot of time with Tiger.

Yeah, I'd definitely like to see him come back and compete.

Q. What was that like? Can you describe what it was like at a specific tournament where you played against him when he was playing pretty well? Is there a specific shot?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, I mean, all I remember is him hitting really good shots. Didn't seem like he ever hit a bad one.

Yeah, I played with him as a partner, I think in Australia. I think we got beat, too, but I don't know how. But yeah, I tend to forget those matches.

Yeah, I mean, obviously he's one of the best golfers that ever played on this game. Having him on your team, in your corner, being able it talk to him anything, it's always good to pick his brain.

Q. How important was it to win in that playoff?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it was definitely big for the confidence. I had struggled a little bit since Augusta. I had not really played that well, and so to get a win in the Playoffs, because I've had such a good season earlier in the year, it was definitely big for the confidence, and you know, good for my confidence going into next year.

Q. Do you think we're going to see a lot of birdies this week?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, it kind of depends on the weather, too, if it's windy. Alternate-shot you're not going to see a ton of birdies but you'll see some birdies for sure. The greens are receptive and they are rolling really good. I think you'll see some birdies for sure.

I think the wind is supposed to blow a little bit tomorrow. But it all depends where they put the pins. Usually in alternate-shot, they don't put them too difficult. You never know.

Q. Were you here in 2009?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I think so.

Q. Were you here in 2013?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I think so.

Q. If we ask you what hole you're on, are you going to know?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Probably not. I think I've got it somewhat figured out, maybe. Like I said, you probably have them all anyway. I get a little confused on the numbers.

Q. Foursomes, what kind of tee shot is that opening one now?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, the first hole, it's a good tee shot. I like it. It's fine. Especially I think today was downwind and makes it a little easier.

Q. What did you hit?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I hit driver, lob-wedge.

Q. There are diverse players from all over, two from Latin America, the second time. What do you see as their strengths on the team?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: They have got really good players. It's going to be a tough week. You know, whatever team plays really well is going to win. Both sides have got really good players, and you know, everybody seems like they are playing pretty well. So I think it's going to be tough matches and it's going to be a close one.

Q. How was the media in New York City, the introduction --
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, there's a lot of people and they all knew who we were. They were nice. It was a lot of fun. Took a lot of selfies.

Q. Most memorable other thing you've done this week?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Probably visit Firehouse 10, Monday, late afternoon, we went over to Firehouse 10 and just talking to the guys and learning the history and all about what kind of went on in 2001. It was really cool. I thought it was a cool time.

Q. As chatty as this team is, was that kind of the plan?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, we were listening to the guy talk, and everybody was -- yeah, it was very interesting.

Q. You must be very confident, how hard is it to control that and do you feel pressure?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it's going to be tough. Like I said, the International Team is very good, and we are going to have to play very well in we want to win.

Q. Do you ever see yourself being a captain of one of these teams?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I'd love to be a captain, one day.

Q. What kind of captain would you be?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I'd be the best.

Q. How many assistants would you have?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: The same number I guess we always have. Let them do all the work. I'd just sit back and relax.

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