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RBC HERITAGE

April 18, 2019

Dustin Johnson

Hilton Head, South Carolina

Q. Strong start to the week. Very strong off the tee. How important is that driver today?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I felt like I drove it well. Hit everything well, my 3-wood, all the clubs that I teed off, I drove it really nicely today. Hit some good iron shots, too. This golf course the greens are tricky, they're hard to read. And I felt like I hit some really good putts that didn't go in. 3-under around here, I'm pretty happy with it.

Q. I know how hard you work on your game. The guys were talking about before your round today how hard you were working with the wedges, flighting them. How important are those little flighty wedges out here? And how did you perform after all that work?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I kind of do the same workup every day. I work hard on the wedges. I feel that's an area on my game that you can't be too good at. So I work hard every day on them. And today was pretty good. I hit some nice wedge shots. But, yeah, today for me it was driving. I drove it really nicely.

Q. I know a lot of you guys like the late, early rotation. You get in late today. You start early tomorrow, hopefully avoiding that weather. How much of an advantage do you think it is to get back out and play early tomorrow?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, I think it's going to be kind of the same conditions for everyone. It's going to blow really, really hard for around here. I think it's supposed to blow 25 to 35 tomorrow. It's going to be a tough day. Anything around even par is going to be a good score.

Q. How do you feel with your round today?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I'm happy with it. It's a good score around here. I felt like I played a little better than that. I drove it nice really nicely, hit some really good shots. The only bogey I made was when I hit a short putt. But hit a good putt, but had it going left and it didn't move and it lipped out. All in all really solid. I felt like everything in the bag is pretty good.

Q. Here into 12?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, 110, just a little 54 I had there to about ten feet. It was short.

Q. That leads to a birdie on the card. A short course, a tight course, not one you can necessarily overpower. Do you like the test of this golf course?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, absolutely. I think today I hit seven drivers. It's really narrow, tree-lined. I grew up playing golf courses like this. So I do like this golf course, it's a good test. Small greens, you've got to hit really good iron shots to get it close to the hole.

Q. Your fourth appearance here. Nice to get straight back out after the Masters, after disappointment not to have won, but that final round charge must have heartened you for what's to come for the rest of the season?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, being in the situation, I knew making the turn that if I wanted a chance to win I had to have something special back behind it. I hit the shots I needed to hit which in the situation is always a very big positive. I hit some really good putts, they just didn't go in. I'm very pleased with how I played there on Sunday, coming up one short, definitely a little disappointed. But happy with the way I finished.

Q. Despite that disappointment, your thoughts on Tiger winning, what that does for golf and winning the Green Jacket for the fifth time?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, obviously it's great for the game. It's great for all of us. Anytime you can have him up on the podium is good for us. And anytime you can bring more recognition to the game it's good for golf.

Q. Could have scored a little better the way you hit it out there?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it was a really solid day. I was in position all day. I drove it nicely. I hit some good iron shots. I felt like the wind is always a little tricky around here in the trees. And made some nice shots. The only bogey I made was I missed a short putt there on 7. But, yeah, just misread it. Had it going a little left and it lipped out on the right side. Other than that I felt like I gave myself a chance all day.

Q. Coming off of last week, a much more relaxed feel here at Hilton Head. A little more relaxed as you go about things, particularly growing up in South Carolina?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it is. It's a really nice week. The golf course is in great shape. My whole family comes down for this week. I think they enjoy it. So it's nice to have the family around. For me it's definitely -- it's a lot of fun to come play for all the fans here in South Carolina.

Q. Knowing the weather is coming in, getting off to a good start today knowing it might come in tomorrow afternoon?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, the weather is going to be here, and it's supposed to blow all day tomorrow. So, yeah, it's going to be difficult. This golf course is tough enough as it is. But just add wind blowing 30 it's going to make it a little bit tougher. Getting off to a good start is important. But tomorrow is just shooting a decent score will be very, very important.

Q. When the wind gets up that high around this place what's the toughest part of this golf course when it does that?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Just putting it in the proper side of the fairway. A lot of times around here they're really narrow, but you've got to be on one side or the other to have shots to the green.

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