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AT&T PEBBLE BEACH PRO-AM

February 10, 2018

Dustin Johnson

Pebble Beach, California

Q. That was a tricky wind coming in out here at Pebble Beach.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it definitely picked up and it started, it was moving a little bit, it was hard to get a good bead on it. But once we turned and came back into the wind there on pretty much from 12 on -- 11, really 11, to the house, the course definitely played pretty tough. But it was still out there, I still had a bunch of chances, I just hit a lot of good putts that didn't go in and got out of position on a couple holes, which was the only time I made the bogeys and it really was just from the second shots on those. I know where I can't hit it and I hit it there anyway. But tomorrow hopefully will be a little bit sharper.

Q. You played 12 par-5s, you're 11-under par in those holes.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I'm taking advantage of the par-5s, that's for sure. That's something that I've got to do if I want to play well, especially around here. That's the part of my game that I do very well, is take advantage of the par-5s. Got to use my length and especially out here at Pebble and all these other courses.

Q. Is it a help that you get to play Pebble Beach back-to-back rounds on Saturday and then again in the final round?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, especially if the conditions are similar, absolutely. But, yeah, the golf course is playing really good. It's not easy, but you can -- there's good scores out there for sure if you play nicely.

Q. So many times we see you unaffected by bogeys and everything. How important was the birdie at 18 that you just made?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it was big, especially after I -- obviously with the wind hard off the right, I just pushed my drive a little bit and got over there in the bunker with not a very good lie and hit a really nice shot out of the bunker to get where I did. And then hit a really nice 8-iron from about 146 in there to 10 feet and made a pretty difficult putt. But that was definitely big after making a really bad bogey on 17. I know I can hit it anywhere left of that flag and I'm okay. But I hit it right and long back on the tee box on 18, that's just not very good.

Q. How tricky was the wind today to try to figure out? Because it was a totally different wind today.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it was definitely tough. Especially -- we just played 16 and it's almost straight in, a little bit out of the right, then we get to 17 and I'm thinking it's dead right-to-left, maybe a little bit of hurt, and it ends up playing straight down. So it was definitely, it was tough to get a bead on it. And it was blowing hard enough to where it was really affecting the ball.

Q. The golf course conditions, it's unusual that we see the golf course playing this fast and this firm, a little bouncy.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, no, the golf course is in perfect condition. The greens are firm and fast, so you've really got to be careful where you hit the ball. You definitely want to keep it under the hole.

Q. What are your thoughts on day three?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: It was pretty good. I got off to a great start, I was playing pretty solid, just made a couple mistakes there on the back nine, made a couple bogeys, just got a little bit out of position, but all in all the game's pretty sharp. I feel like it's in really good form going into tomorrow.

Q. What are some of the challenges this golf course presents playing as it is?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, with the wind today it was definitely difficult to hit -- pick the right clubs. The wind was blowing pretty strong, it was cool, so it was playing pretty long when you turned back into the wind.

Q. With your success here, how much does that fill your confidence knowing you can get win three here come tomorrow?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, no, I'm going to be in a good position going into tomorrow, but I'm still going to have to go out and play really well if I want a chance to win.

Q. We've talked about your success here. Why do you think your game fits this course so well? What is it about it?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I just like all the golf courses. I think they set up well for me. I enjoy being out here and playing them, no matter if it's sunny and nice like it is this week or if the weather's bad. I don't know, I like this format, I've got a good group of guys I get to play with playing with Wayne and then playing with Jordan and Jake. We have a lot of fun. So I just enjoy being out here.

Q. How does the vibe change on Sunday?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it does for sure. Sunday you start focusing just a little bit more. Probably should have had a little bit more focus today maybe, but I still got it around okay. But, yeah, on Sunday we're trying to win the golf tournament, so.

Q. What's the confidence like for you coming here after you have won it a few times, but years back, and your game is so much better now? Is there just a different personal vibe when you come here, it's like with my game and with my confidence, you just know you can do it at any time?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well I've been working hard on the game, so, yeah, I definitely have a lot of confidence, and I know if I go out and play really well tomorrow I'm going to have a really good chance to win.

Q. But the combination of that and also being -- won here before too, that's got to help a lot?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, for sure, I really like these golf courses. I know them very well, so I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. Someone mentioned your par-5 success. When you stepped to the tee on a par-5 here, how much -- does your mindset, do you just become more aggressive? I'm sure you play par-5s everywhere aggressively, but what is it about these par-5s?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: It's all about, first, you got to get in the fairway. And then it's just all how you want to play them. I just have got a game plan that I like to play all of them and so that's just, I stick to it. But, yeah, I just played the par-5s well this week.

Q. Can you reach all the ones at Pebble in two -- or not 14, obviously?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Or 18.

Q. Because of wind?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: And 14, I missed a 3-footer for birdie. It just bounced on me, it bounced left and missed it. But yeah, I have attacked the par-5s and I'm going to have to keep doing that.

Q. Wind was tough today.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it was, very difficult.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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