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WGC HSBC CHAMPIONS

October 27, 2017

Dustin Johnson

Shanghai, China

Q. You're a past champion here, and you finished today four straight birdies for a 63. I guess this place suits your eye.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it does. Today, obviously I played very well today. But I actually got a putter like about 20 minutes before I teed off, it's a Spider, so it's one that I've used before.

I wasn't really pleased with the one I played with yesterday, so the guys here in China made me one. I got it right before I walked to the tee. I hit a few putts on the practise green with it and I was like, oh, this will work pretty well. Went out and holed a lot of putts today, so kind of like it.

Q. What was wrong with the other, and all of a sudden you go to a new one, and you go on the putting green and you go: This is it, I've got the feel for it?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I was coming from the range when I grabbed it. So it was about literally 15, 20 minutes before I teed off. Hit a few putts. Felt good. It's going where I was looking, so I put in the bag.

Q. You're a past champion here, 24-under you shot a few years back, I remember that. That was just awesome. How much can you drag off being a past champion at a place?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, it helps. It's a golf course that I enjoy playing. It suits my eye very well. It's still, though, you've got to drive it well.

For me, if I drive it good out here, I feel like I can make a lot of birdies. The par 5s, I can reach all the par 5s if I drive it in the fairway. You know, so those are where I've got to attack those.

The rest of the holes, I feel like if I'm in the fairway, I can attack the golf course.

Q. You've had a few weeks off. You've come here, good year. How important is it for you to finish this year with a W?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, it's always important to get a win no matter what time of year it is. For me, it's kind of the end of the year but it's also the start of the 2018 season. It would be really nice to get off to a good start.

Q. Strong day today. Did you feel like you had to take some spotlight off your brother from the Caddie Awards, being on stage so much?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, I wanted to come out and shoot a good score. I felt like I played pretty well yesterday. Didn't get a whole lot out of my round, but I played solid.

Today, you know, went out -- I went back to the Spider putter and putted really well. That was kind of the difference today. I made a lot of 10-, 12-footers, and that was the big key for me today, so I rolled the putter very nicely.

Q. 34 on the front and 29 on the back. What was the difference for you between the two nines?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Hit it a little bit closer on the back and made a few more putts. I mean, it wasn't much different. I mean, all day I played well. Never really was out of position. Never really struggling for pars or anything. I had good looks at it all day. I just rolled a few in on the back nine.

Q. You've got new irons in the bag for the first time in three seasons, and a new putter, as well. How are the equipment changes working out for you?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I literally, before coming to China, I hit balls with those irons once. So yeah, I mean, I'm still not really used to them. They seem to be working pretty good when I make a good swing.

Q. 63, coming back in 29. How was that?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: It was great. I played really solid all day. Got off to a good start. Had some good looks through the first few holes. Hit some nice putts. Just kind of burning the edges and went to the back nine.

I holed a nice putt on 10, about a 25-footer, and you know, actually -- I mean, to be honest, I had about a 10-footer on 11 that I missed, and then the par 5, 14, I had 6-iron in and made par.

So I had a couple I left out there, but I played really well on the back nine. I hit a lot of great shots and rolled in some nice putts.

Q. What's the difference between today and yesterday?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Just the putter. I switched putters today. I went back to the Spider, you know, with a different insert, and really, really rolled the ball very nice.

Q. Having won here in the past, how much do you think your experience will help you over the weekend?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it definitely helps. I've played here a bunch of times. I've had success on this golf course. I really like this golf course.

I'm still going to have to go out and shoot -- play some really good golf the next two days if I want to win.

Q. Potentially playing with Brooks, as well, tomorrow. How much are you looking forward to that?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, hopefully. It would be great. He's one of my best buddies. It would be a lot of fun out there playing with him.

Q. Just expanding on the question on Brooks, he spoke about your friendship with him. How has that relationship blossomed and how has it helped in your own games, as well?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: It's good. We live right down the street from each other, so we hang out a bunch. It's good, going to the gym, having somebody to work out with, pushing each other in the gym helps a lot.

You know, it's funny, we don't really play much golf, though, at home together. We go to the gym and we hang out but we don't go to the golf course together. I think we played last Saturday; that was the first time we played in, I mean, I couldn't tell you how long. All year, probably.

Q. Did you beat him?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I think so.

Q. Do you play practise rounds?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, we play practise rounds. But I'm saying at home. Neither one of us go to the golf course that much.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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