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THE PRESIDENTS CUP

December 11, 2019

Dustin Johnson

Melbourne, Australia

Q. Your approach for match play, is it different?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I get ready for every tournament the same, no matter if it's a regular PGA TOUR event, this event, a major. I always prepare the same.

I was always planning on playing. I enjoy these events. It's a privilege to be part of these teams and it was something that, you know, unless I didn't feel like could I come here and help the team, then I wouldn't have came. But I feel like I definitely can help the team and the game is in good enough form to where I feel just fine.

Q. Is there a course advantage?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I think it's the same as everyone. The fairways, it's not a very difficult driving course. There's a few obviously difficult drives where you have to hit some really good shots, but it's all about the approaches, leaving the ball in the right spot. I mean, I think the forecast is the wind is going to blow a little bit, and obviously the greens are very firm and fast. So controlling the golf ball coming into the greens, leaving it in the right spot is going to be the key this week.

Q. When did you start hitting balls?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I started hitting like -- when I was chipping and putting, you know, three, four weeks after, but I didn't start hitting probably until six to eight weeks, like wedges and just kind of built up from there. I don't know, I didn't -- I wasn't like marking it down in my calendar or anything. Just whenever I felt obviously with my pt guy and my doctor, just working, whenever they kind of give me the clear to go.

Q. What do you Mark on your calendar?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Nothing.

Q. Do you even have a calendar?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No. I'll use my phone. If it's something really important, I'll put a reminder in my phone. That's like twice a year.

Q. The time --
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Everything was right on schedule. If anything, ahead of schedule. The only thing that took longer was with the driver. Everything else was fine. It was only when I wanted to hit one, get a little extra, that was the only time, but everything else was good.

Q. Your shoulder -- how much did it affect your play?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: It was bother -- I can't ever blame anything. It was me. I just played poorly. But obviously it had some kind of an impact on it.

I mean, now, obviously I had a lot of time I was sitting on the couch, so you know, just thinking about back on the year. Obviously I had a pretty good start to the season, but yeah, in the back half, I was struggling a little bit. But, yeah, thinking about, you know, why I was struggling and what I was struggling with in my golf swing, you definitely could relate it to the knee with what I was doing, which was hanging back too much and just not controlling the golf ball well enough. It was just from the way I was swinging it. It wasn't obviously all shots but my tendency was to do that, so it would have been, if I think about it, it definitely would have been from guarding against left side.

Q. Have you asked to play more matches --
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I have not asked, I would say probably not but I would play most of them. I'll play as many as Tiger wants me to play. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't ready to play.

Q. If the International side don't win --
DUSTIN JOHNSON: This will always be relevant. They have a great team. We have a great team. We have to play well if we want to beat them. That's how it goes in any team match. Whoever plays better is going to win.

Q. How are the greens?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Obviously they are fast. I feel like we play fast greens most of the time, but yeah, these are quick. Obviously I've been putting on them the last few days, so I feel like I'm pretty used to them.

When we played here in 2011, I thought they were faster. The course as a whole was, too. The course is a lot greener this time around. It's still firm as can be, the greens are. I firmest greens we'll ever see for sure. Golf course is great, though. It's in great shape and the greens are rolling good, and yes, they are very fast.

Q. Did you come from California?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I was in Florida. I flew with the team. I flew over to Bahamas and flew with the team over.

Q. Your thoughts on Australia?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: The few times I've been here it's been great. The Aussie fans are always respectful and great. They don't get to see us much, so I think they do get excited when we come down here and play.

I've played in the Australian PGA I think, and I played here in 2011 and then I played in Perth, too, once. But it's great. I enjoy coming down here and playing in front of the fans.

Obviously, yeah, they are pulling for their team for sure, but like I said, they are very respectful and they don't get to see us play that much. Yeah, they will give us some support, but still pulling for their side.

Q. Knowing the team -- and how is Tiger as captain?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, I don't know. I mean, if you -- it's just like Ryder Cup. They are all from different countries. All the international guys, we play with them, they play with us. It's not like you're playing with guys you don't know. We all know each other.

I think we have a good team and we all get along really well. The last couple days have been great.

For me, every team I've played on, he's been on the team, in some way or another. To me, he's always been like our leader, no matter if he was on the team and if he was a vice captain, and someone that everyone looks to to lead the team. Being the captain, his role really doesn't change in the team room and his involvement throughout the week, whether he's playing or not.

Q. What's the strangest time you've ever had to be up in a Presidents Cup --
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Nothing crazy -- early in the morning, but I'm usually up early anyway, maybe a little after 5, but yeah, I'm up pretty early.

Q. Tiger being a playing captain --
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Tiger, he knows what it takes to be ready to play, so he's doing whatever he thinks is best for himself. He's got good vice captains, so, I don't know -- like I said, he's always been a player, whether he was a player or he was a vice captain at the one Ryder Cup. You know, but like I said, whether he was playing or doing that, his role, he's always been kind of the leader. You know he's always -- whether he was a player, he was always involved in all the discussions.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: You're asking me to remember some guy long ago, really? Next time I'll take notes so I can answer these questions.

Q. Are you looking forward to the Olympics and will you compete if you make the team?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I haven't thought that far ahead. I love the Olympics. Whether I will be there, I don't know. It kind of depends on the schedule. I know I'll be playing a lot just because I haven't played anything. If it works out where it fits in my schedule and I make the team, then yeah, I'll probably go play and be happy to represent the U.S.

Q. Have you made your schedule for next year?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I was actually looking at that on the plane ride over. I don't know what I'm going to do. I think I'm going to play my 18 events this year is what's going to happen.

I'm going to play Maui and then I'm going to play Saudi again. I won there, so I'll go back and play, and then Pebble, L.A., Match Play. After that, I don't know.

Q. México?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I'll play México. I like that place. I said Match Play, but same thing. WGC. You're asking too many questions (laughter).

Q. Kapalua a possibility?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I'm playing Kapalua for sure.

Q. Would you prefer Tiger will be more of a captain or a player this week?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: What do you think?

Q. Player.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Okay, yeah -- I mean -- no, I want him to be a captain and not play. He's arguably the best player to ever play the game. Just the knowledge he has and the leadership, he's been doing this for a long time. He's always been a leader on every team we've been done, so like I said, his role doesn't really change being a captain. He's always been a leader.

Q. Any drivable par 5s?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Sure, but they are reachable? Yes. I think 11, is it 11? My first ball I didn't hit very good, but my second ball I hit just on the back fringe. It was about this far from the green, so it was reachable.

Obviously I can get to, what is it, 7. But again, I don't -- unless the wind switches, because right now it's kind of in out of the left. Unless it switches to in out of the right -- but still, it's one of those things, where it's tough to get it on the green. Yeah, you can get up around it, but a lot of times, depending on where the flag is, I don't know if you want to be up around the green.

Q. Better athlete: Wayne Gretzky or Tiger Woods?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I'm going with Gretz. I mean, I don't know if there's anyone better. I'm going to go with Gretz for sure, and not just because he's, you know, family. I think just what he's done in his sport, no one's ever dominated their sport as much as he has.

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