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WGC HSBC CHAMPIONS

October 24, 2018

Dustin Johnson

Shanghai, China

CHRIS REIMER: Dustin, some opening comments about being back here and in Shanghai, and last year, fell a little short, but it's still a course and a tournament I know you certainly like playing.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I always look forward to coming here. I like the golf course. It's a great tournament. HSBC does a great job here. You know, it's a place I enjoy coming to play. Don't really get to play in Asia much, so it's good for me to come over here and play.

I've had a lot of success on this golf course, so it's a tournament that I look forward to coming to play.

Q. A lot of China golfers admire only the skill set that Dustin Johnson presents, but the way that you recover from any failure or any unsuccessful events. You basically recover right after the second day, even if you have to face any difficulty. So how can you do that? How can you manage to be so good at that?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: A lot of practise (smiling). You know, it's golf, and for me, whether I'm playing at home or out here, you know, you're going to make mistakes. It just happens. I think it just all depends on how you handle them and if you let it bother you.

So I just try not to; I know especially when I'm playing well, it's easy to overcome a mistake because it just -- it's golf. It's going to happen.

Q. Being one of the early fall season events on the new PGA TOUR season, how do you see the importance of such events like the WGC-HSBC Champions playing into the FedExCup race that stretches until next August?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, for me, it's important just because it's the only event that I play in the fall, at the beginning of the season. I'm not going to play again until January, which will be in the Sentry Tournament of Champions.

For me, it's a big event. It's a World Golf Championships. It's one that I want to play well in, but also, for the FedExCup, it's kind of the start to my season. Even though I do have a long break after this before I'll play another PGA TOUR event.

Q. What are you going to do in the time off between the end of this event and when you start again in January?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: What am I going to do?

Q. Yeah, what will you do away from the game of golf?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don't have any plans right now. You know, spend a lot of time at home. Hang with the kids and Paulina. You know, I'm sure we'll go on a couple vacations. No plans yet.

Q. Will you pick up the golf clubs at all or do you like to just put them away and come back to it completely fresh in the new year?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, definitely put them away for a little while. Usually start, you know, early December, I'll start practising again.

Q. Do you still get excited about the game? Obviously everyone thinks about your massive driving of the ball and everyone would love to be able to do that. Do you still get out there and get a thrill every time you see the trajectory of a ball, if it goes further than the last one you hit?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, absolutely. If I didn't, I'd quit playing. You know, I love the game. I love being out here. I love competing. I do get excited.

Right now, I'm always excited to come play big events, but it's been a long year. So I'm looking forward to having some time off and not playing golf.

But you know, taking that break and when I come back and start practising again in early December, that's when I get excited and fired up and get ready to get back to work.

Q. Are you going to play some badminton over the Christmas period?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I definitely need some practise. You never know.

Q. What areas of the game to you want to get better at?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Everywhere. I think there's always room for improvement for me in all parts of the game. Short game, putting, wedges, you know, throughout the bag, I think I have room for improvement.

Q. Between you and Brooks Koepka, will things be changing in terms of your friendship with him and your relationship with him, because now he's being more competitive now in most of the tournaments that you guys are fighting for, not only just the title, but now fighting for world No. 1. So when you guys share your times in the gym, do you guys start talking trash to each other or saying that, no, I'm going to get this, or no, I'm going to get this, too, over you?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, we've got a really good relationship. We kind of push each other. You know, he's a really good player, and obviously I do okay, too.

Yeah, it's a great relationship and we push each other to get better. And yes, there is a lot of trash talking (smiling).

CHRIS REIMER: Thank you and good luck this week.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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