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THE RYDER CUP

September 27, 2018

Dustin Johnson

Guyancourt, France

BRIONY CARLYON: Okay. Dustin, thank you for joining us here today in the Media Centre. A fourth Ryder Cup for you, here in France, it's obviously a stunning setting and a stunning course. What have you enjoyed so far, and has it been up to your expectations this week in the team room and just the general atmosphere.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, absolutely. I think the fans here have been great. Golf course is really good. I've enjoyed the events we've had. Last night was a really nice event at the Palace, and you know, to get together with both teams. Had a really nice dinner. So that was a lot of fun.

You know, I haven't been here. I haven't played here until I got here Monday, but the golf course is really good. I think it's a really good test of golf. I think it's going to be a lot of fun these matches. They are going to be tough, especially alternate-shot is going to be -- definitely be interesting around here because these fairways are pretty narrow and you've got to hit very quality shots if you want to make a good score.

Q. Have you found yourself, I wouldn't say frustrated, but having to pull back reins on not hitting driver as much as you might have on other courses, like Hazeltine?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, this golf course, it's what it calls for. Doesn't really give you an option to do it. The holes, there's some long holes, but obviously a lot of the par 4s, they are not too long, but they play longer because they kind of limit how far you can hit your tee balls.

But around here, it's all about getting it in the fairway. You don't have to hit driver a lot of holes. Most of them really don't let you hit a driver unless -- yeah, I mean, the fairways are really narrow where driver would go.

But you know, you can still hit -- if you hit quality iron shots off the tee or 3-woods, you still can get some short irons in your hands, but you have to play from the fairway.

Q. You've been practising a lot with Rickie. If you two end up being a pairing, why would that be a good one, do you think?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, if we end up playing together, I think we'd be a pretty good team. We get along very well. I think the way we approach, if we are playing together, I think we feed off each other pretty well, and we definitely practise some together this week. We're comfortable playing with each other.

Whatever the Captain decides, though, is what we're going to go with. If I do end up playing with Rickie, I think we're a pretty solid team.

Q. Do you think you've inflicted any kind of psychological blow by knocking Justin Rose back off the No. 1 ranking and reclaiming that coming into this week?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I didn't understand.

BRIONY CARLYON: The psychological advantage of being world No. 1 instead of Justin.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Sure. (Laughter).

BRIONY CARLYON: Enough said.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I guess it depends on how you look at it.

Q. Is it an advantage for you?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: For me? Yeah, I like being 1.

Q. How many pictures do you think you took last night?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No comment (smiling).

Q. Beginning in 2008, from that point forward, you had the most active wins on the PGA TOUR, 19, until Sunday; Tiger actually tied you with his win. And I'm wondering, what is your reaction to that; that he of all people would be the one to tie you, after missing as much as he has?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, I mean, Tiger playing well and getting his first win in quite a while, it's great for the game. It's great for me. It's great for everyone involved in the game of golf. You know, him playing well is only good for everyone.

So I'm glad to see it, and I want to beat him at his best, and I feel like right now, he's starting to get back to where he's very good.

So for me, especially when I first came out on Tour, I mean, that was a time when he was playing his best. To see him get back there after quite a while off I think is very impressive, and I'm glad to see it. I'm glad he's on my team this week, too. (Laughter).

Q. Have you been told you'll play all five?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Excuse me?

Q. Have you been told that you will play all five matches?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I have not been told.

Q. Have you been told how many you will play?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I have not. I would imagine I'll at least play one (laughter).

Q. For a guy who allegedly has no pulse, how did you feel at Wales in your first Ryder Cup, and what do you think it will be like with an arena, the likes of which a Ryder Cup hasn't seen before?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, my first Ryder Cup at Wales, you know, even though the weather was not great, it was still an unbelievable scene around the first tee.

For me, it was probably one of the most nervous I've ever been on a tee box. I mean, I get nervous every time I'm on the first tee. But that one, I was sure glad that I was hitting a driver for sure. It would not have been a fun shot with something else, just because, you know, for me, it was my first one. I was so excited, and there's so many fans around cheering and singing, and the crowd, it was very impressive, especially being my first Ryder Cup.

But yeah, I expect tomorrow to be more. I mean, with those grandstands around the first tee and all the people that are going to be there, it's going to be very exciting. I think the crowds here, there's going to be a lot of people out here. There's going to be a lot of people cheering for the other team, but I still think we'll have a good amount of fans here.

The crowd here seems to be fairly respectful, so obviously that could all change tomorrow, but I wouldn't expect anything less. Obviously you're pulling for your home team, but I'm up for the challenge.

Q. Your pulse will be, what, 72 maybe?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: On the first tee, I'll be feeling it for sure.

Q. The U.S., a lot has been talked about this streak of 25 years not winning a Ryder Cup in Europe. For the younger guys on this team and for you that have played a few, what kind of motivator is that this week?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, for me, that's not really the motivation. I don't really need any motivation. I'm coming here. I'm playing golf; I'm representing my country because I want to win. I'm not coming over here just to play. I think all the guys on the team feel that way. We've got a really good group of guys. We're all very close. I feel like we've got a very strong team.

I mean, we're coming over here to compete, and I feel like it's going to be a really good match like it has the past few years, or the past few Ryder Cups; it's going to come down to the singles matches and I feel like it's going to be fairly close coming into Sunday and coming down to the last few matches. That's kind of been the trend the last, you know, few Ryder Cups or the ones I've played on.

So I wouldn't expect anything less, and I think they are going to fight hard just like we are. I'm looking forward to it. I think it's going to be a great week for golf, great week for all the spectators, and you know, you're going to see some good matches.

Q. Have you settled on a putter and a putting grip that you're going to use this week?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Nope. I'm going to surprise you tomorrow.

Yeah, I'm going to putt just like I was at THE TOUR Championship, left-hand low, and with the same putter. No changing.

BRIONY CARLYON: Thank you, Dustin, for your time. All the best.

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