SENTRY TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

January 8, 2021

Dustin Johnson

Plantation Course at Kapalua

Quick Quotes

Q. Great round of golf today, difference, your putter today? You made some quality putts.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, still -- yeah, I played better, but I played pretty well yesterday too, just still I think the longest putt I made is about an 8-footer and that was on 16 for par. Other than that, I mean, yeah, I hit a lot of good golf shots but most of them were four, five feet. So the game feels pretty good though, I hit a lot of nice iron shots and driving it pretty well and everything seems to be going pretty well and the putts just aren't going in the hole.

Q. When taking the break, the time off, I think congratulations by the way, first time seeing you on the Masters victory. What's it take to get back into that competitive mode? Has it taken a couple rounds here to say okay I'm competing again after a phenomenal fall you had?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, a little bit. I know I can be a little bit rusty but I got a little practice in last week, so I still feel pretty good with the golf game, the greens are kind of tough to read, especially for me, I just haven't played anything outside 10 feet and that's kind of the difference. Today I hit it a lot closer so made a few more birdies, but yeah, I mean I'm feeling decent position going into tomorrow, probably four, five back, but so still felt like I got back in the golf tournament a little bit.

Q. Final thing, funny you say the greens are tough to read with how often you've played here. Very familiar with this golf course. Is it because of the change a few years ago?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, they redid the greens last year, so still getting used to them but I feel like I got a good bead on the golf course and hopefully we can roll a few putts in over the weekend.

Q. Was the putter just a little bit better today, is that the kind of biggest difference?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, not really. I mean I hit good putts, I obviously made some more birdies today, but all of them were 5-footers. So but, yeah, I mean I had some other good look, hit some really good putts, just burning the edges. Kind of 18, just didn't quite have enough speed, had the same kind of thing on a few other holes, it's just the greens are a little slow, they're good though, but they're just a little bit slow. But hopefully I feel like I'm getting a little more comfortable on the greens, a little bit better reading them today, so hopefully we'll make a few more over the weekend.

Q. You didn't play all that bad yesterday, didn't play bad at all. But does it take, when you come off a layoff does it take you a little time to just get going maybe?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean generally over though when I take some time off I'm practice ago little bit, but I didn't, with the holidays and the family and all that didn't get a whole lot of practice in until I got over here, so the game's, the game feels good though, I feel like I'm swinging really well, I just need to get a little bit better on the greens.

Q. It makes it easier when you hit it close like you did today. Does that help in the sense of looking ahead in this taking pressure off?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: For sure. I got to obviously not only just didn't get up-and-down there on 18 with a pretty easy chip, but other than that, yeah, I felt like I hit it really close all day and gave myself a lot of good chances, but I think that obviously hopefully as the week goes on I'll get a little bit more comfortable on the greens and get a little bit better with the speed and make a few more putts.

Q. What did happen on the chip on 18?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I just landed it about a foot short of where I wanted to. That was all.

Q. Best birdie today?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: 17.

Q. What did you hit?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: 5-iron to about four or five feet, I don't know, four feet.