TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

September 3, 2020

Dustin Johnson

East Lake Golf Club

Press Conference

CHRIS REIMER: Welcome our No. 1 ranked Dustin Johnson here to the TOUR Championship. Dustin, you've entered No. 1 before. I know that being No. 1 this year was a goal of yours as we enter this event and winning the FedExCup is, as well.

Just talk if you could a little bit about being No. 1 as we enter the TOUR Championship here at East Lake.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, being in the No. 1 position right now before we start is obviously a little bit of an advantage. You get a two-shot lead. But obviously, as we all know, East Lake is a difficult golf course, and there's still four rounds to play. It's not like I've got a two-shot lead going into the final round. I've still got four rounds to play.

I'm still going to have to go out and play some really good golf for four days if I want to be a FedExCup champion at the end.

Q. How does East Lake fit you? How are you looking at it this year with your game and the way you're coming in to play, just the venue itself? How do you feel about coming into East Lake with the way you're playing now?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I feel great. Obviously the game is in very good form. I've got a lot of confidence in every part of my game. That's always a bonus, especially coming into a golf course like this where it's a great golf course. It's right in front of you.

But you've got to do everything well if you want to succeed around this place.

Q. After you won the Northern Trust, you were on a plane that night, you were in the gym the next morning, you were at the golf course the next night. What did you do after the BMW Championship, and did it take you very long to get over watching Jon Rahm's putt go in?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No. I flew home. I pulled in my driveway I think about 11:54, and went upstairs and saw the kids and Paulina. It was nice -- actually Tatum was still awake. I don't know why he was awake, but he was still awake in the bed. But it was cool because I got to talk to him or just see him for a minute.

I mean, as soon as I saw the kids you don't think about anything but them and Paulina. It was nice just to see the family because I hadn't seen them for a couple weeks, so that was a big bonus.

But for me as far as after what had happened at the BMW was -- I mean, it was just something that was going to happen. Jon made a great putt, but there isn't anything I can do about that. I didn't do anything wrong to lose the playoff, so for me it was easy to get over.

Q. Is this the best form you've been in? And how good is your current form right now?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I think my form is very good. Like I said, I've got a lot of confidence in the game right now. I feel like over the last four or five weeks I've been very, very consistent, and I feel like every part of my game is working well.

That's what I like to see is the consistency. That's when you know the game is in good form, is when you're playing well and you're consistently contending for golf tournaments, where it's not just one week you're contending, the next week you miss the cut.

I want to contend every week. That's when I know my game is in good form.

Q. I'm wondering after the experience of last week, how much are you looking forward to just playing with Jon again, and is there anything to be said about the two of you bringing the best out in each other?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, yeah. I mean, obviously Jon is a great player and he has been for a while now. He'll continue to be a really good player for years to come. Obviously being one of the best players in the world, he's got all the skills. He drives it well. He's a good iron player, good short game. That's what it takes to be one of the best players in the world.

But yeah, obviously excited to start this week in the No. 1 position. Yeah, playing with Jon obviously in the first round. Yeah, I think it's going to be a great week, and looking forward to it.

Q. Just your history here at East Lake, it's been off and on --

DUSTIN JOHNSON: For sure.

Q. I'll let you put it in your words.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, yeah, I've had a whole mixed bag of finishes here. I either play really well or I play really terrible. I mean, it's just one of those things. But obviously I think that has to do with how the game is during the week or coming into this week.

I feel like I'm going to play it well this time around.

Q. The top three players in the World Rankings mirror the FedExCup standings entering this TOUR Championship; what is it about these Playoffs that's bringing out the best in your game?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, it's that time of year where you've got to -- where you need to play well. They're big events, and I think that's when the best guys come out and show their stuff. It's kind of how it happens in all sports; during the Playoffs is when you're supposed to step up and play well, so that's what I try to do.

Q. I was just wondering from tee to green, what makes the par-5, 18th here at East Lake a unique closing hole?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, it's a great closing hole. You can make a 3 -- actually it's hard to make a 3. You don't see a lot of those during the week, just because it's always hard to get it close to the hole. It's a tough drive. You have to hit the fairway if you want any shot at knocking it on the green. I mean, that's first and foremost. The rough here is always brutal, and you never get a good lie ever.

You have to hit the fairway, and then once you do hit the fairway, you've got to hit a perfect iron shot if you want to get it on the green. It makes it a difficult hole.

But you have a chance. You can get it -- depending on which way the wind is blowing, you can get a mid-iron in your hand coming into the green. But again, like I said, it's hard to hit the green.

Q. Who would get your vote for Player of the Year?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I'm not sure yet. I think this week will help decide that.

Q. Do you think this week ultimately determines it? There's about five of you with more or less the same number of wins and so forth.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Right. That's why I think -- I think right now it's really close. I think this week could help solidify Player of the Year.

Q. You just spoke earlier in your interview today about the joy of going home and seeing the two boys, and now with Rory becoming a father as we learnt today, what sort of advice would you give Rory in terms of balancing family life with the life of a professional golfer?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, you know, for me it was really easy. Before I had a family it was kind of -- golf was most important, and then once you have a family, golf kind of -- definitely not the most important. It's your family. They're by far the most important.

It almost takes a little bit of stress or -- I don't really call it stress. I don't know, it just puts things in perspective. Golf, yeah, I love golf and I enjoy it and it's my job. Whether I played on TOUR or not I'd still play the game of golf.

But it's one of those where once you have a family, just all your priorities change, but in a good way, in a very good way.

Q. I just want to know if you've done a virtual pro-am yet.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I have, quite a few of them.

Q. Do they ask better questions than we do, and if so, what are we doing wrong?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, they ask the same questions you guys do.

Q. Do you give the same answers?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Probably. I had to do -- today was my first solo virtual pro-am, 30 minutes by myself. Nailed it, too. (Laughter.)

Q. What was the best question you got?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Hmm. I don't know, they had some very good questions, but I can't remember any of them. (Laughter.)

CHRIS REIMER: Dustin, thanks so much. Good luck this week and we'll see you on Sunday night.