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RBC CANADIAN OPEN

July 25, 2018

Dustin Johnson

Oakville, Ontario, Canada

THE MODERATOR: Welcome FedExCup leader Dustin Johnson to the media center, and welcome to your sixth start here at the RBC Canadian Open. How does it feel to be back?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it's always good to come back here. I really like this golf course. I've had some success here, and I enjoy coming and playing the Canadian Open, especially being an RBC ambassador, and then having a few ties to Canada, I get a lot of fans out here, and they've been great the past few years, and I'm always excited to come back here and play.

THE MODERATOR: Two runner-up finishes and a top 10 last year. How do you finally get over that hump and take the victory.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I've got to play a little better. I feel like I've definitely played well here. I like the golf course. It sets up well for me. I feel like the game is in pretty good form right now, and I'm excited about this week.

THE MODERATOR: Leading the FedExCup, how do you hold that place there, and what does that mean to you?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, yeah, that's something I haven't done is win a FedExCup Championship, so I'm definitely -- right now being No. 1 is good, but you just kind of want to be in that top-5 position going into Atlanta, the TOUR Championship. But yeah, I need to continue to play well the rest of the year. We've got a lot of big events coming up, this one, Akron next week, and then the PGA coming up the week after that. Got a pretty good stretch here.

Q. You're trying to be the 16th golfer to have won a U.S. Open and an RBC Canadian Open. What would a win mean for you at Glen Abbey, given that it could be the last time that the RBC Canadian Open is held at such a historic golf course like this?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, well, every win is special to me, so it would definitely mean a lot. This golf course I like, and yeah, it's going to be the last time it's going to be played here, so yeah, it would definitely be special to win.

Q. You talked about your ties to Canada. Just wanted to find out are we going to see some of your friends, relatives stop by the course to cheer you on?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I think Walter is going to come out. Wayne is not going to make it this year, but he'll be watching. But yeah, we'll have a few buddies out and some friends and family.

Q. It looked like you were spending a lot of time with your driver on the range before you came in, playing with shafts and different driver heads. What exactly were you tinkering with?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, yeah, I mean, like you just said, shafts -- same head, just some different shafts. I feel like the driver is good. I'm hitting it well. It's just it can always be better. Always trying to make it a little bit better. I feel like right now I'm swinging the club very well, so it was a good time to test some different stuff to see if I could get it to fly just a little bit better, and I think we've got it figured out.

Q. How often do you do that process?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I'd like to never do it, but being a golfer and kind of a golf nut, I like to try new stuff. Don't ever really switch, but I like to try stuff.

Q. So today were you trying, or will we see something new in the bag?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: We'll see tomorrow when I tee off. I'm not sure yet.

Q. There's going to be a time change and date change for the Canadian Open beginning next year. I'm wondering what you think before the week before the U.S. Open, how you think that will impact Golf Canada's ability to attract players to this tournament.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I think it'll be good for the golf tournament. A lot of guys like to play the week before the U.S. Open, so you'll definitely get some different guys, and I think the field will definitely improve even though this year I feel like we have a really good field here at the RBC.

But I think the date move is good, and I think the field will get stronger for sure.

Q. There's a lot of talk the week before majors about how players are ramping up their game for the major. What's the mindset like the week after a major?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: It just all depends. Sometimes I play after a major, sometimes I don't. But if I'm playing, it's the same as if I was at a major. I'm there to play well, and for me, it's work. I'm grinding no matter what week it is, if it's the week before a major, after a major, during a major. It doesn't really matter for me. It's all the same.

Q. This is your sixth time playing here at the Canadian Open. Do you have any specific memories or thoughts of Glen Abbey that come to mind?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, well, I finished second here twice, so I've been very close, so I've got a lot of good memories here. Hopefully we can make a better one this year.

Q. Kind of piggy-backing on his thought, after missing the cut at Carnoustie, which doesn't happen to you often, do you have to change anything mentally or your approach coming into this week?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I mean, I don't feel like -- I really didn't play poorly, so not really. Coming in here, I just work on the same things I've been working on. I feel like I'm swinging well, I'm hitting it well. Spent a little bit of time working on the putting, which is something that's been kind of hot and cold this year a little bit, but I feel like I've got a pretty good beat on it. I feel like I'm rolling it well, so that's something I've spent a little bit of time on. And then a lot of time on wedges, too, to get those a little bit sharper. But I feel like the whole game as a whole is pretty good now.

Q. What are the challenges of the 18th hole as far as -- as you compute that into your risk-reward factor?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, well, challenge is driving it in the fairway. If you can drive it in the fairway, then you know you've got a mid iron in generally, 5-, 6-iron. It's a reachable par-5. It kind of depends on which way the wind is blowing, though. But yeah, it's definitely a risk-reward hole because you've got to hit a good shot, especially depending on where the flag is, just the way the green is shaped, and there's a lot of trouble around the green. But it's definitely a good risk-reward. It's a great finishing hole, and you'll see some eagles, you'll see some bogeys. I mean, it's a good, fun hole.

Q. Not sure how much you played yesterday, but your thoughts on what the course looks like right now?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I didn't play -- I played this morning nine holes. The course is in really good shape, probably the best shape I've seen it since I've played here. So it's going to be a good week.

Q. Last week there was a video on The Golf Channel of a guy doing an impersonation of a bunch of golfers, yourself included. Just curious if you've seen it and your thoughts on the impression of you?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I have seen it. I thought he did a pretty good job with a lot of guys. Mine was -- it was all right. A little too much country accent, though, I think. But he did pretty good. I'd have to say he did all the guys very well.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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