THE NORTHERN TRUST

August 19, 2021

Dustin Johnson

Liberty National Golf Club

Press Conference

Q. Were there any challenges with the 3-wood, I know like No. 7, for example, into the wind?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: It was really long. I was worried if I could cover the water or not on 7. Then I hit it to the right because I was trying to keep it low and make sure it didn't get up in the air because it was a long carry.

No, I mean, other than that hole, other than having just maybe one or two more clubs into the greens, but the greens are soft. So it wasn't too bad. But if the wind direction today, it actually wasn't too bad.

Q. Did you have a 3-wood at the beginning of the round?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No.

Q. How come you didn't have that?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I've got a 5-wood that I use for my 3-wood. It goes the distance I want it to. But I had a strong 3-wood in my car, so it helped a little bit, especially I hit some -- I hit a nice -- the first time I hit it was on 8. Just I hadn't hit it. It was brand new. So I hit it down the middle on 8, hit a good one, hit a good shot on 9. So from now on out, I hit it nicely, though, with it.

Q. How long have you been using the model that cracked today?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: For a while. It was still the SIM. I tested obviously. But I got a new SIM2 and another SIM head that I'm going to go hit a few balls on the range with right now.

Q. What's the difference on basic carrier distance on the 5-wood and your driver and the strong 3, all three of them? Give me an idea.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Especially into the wind, it's a big difference. Because I use -- my 3-wood's like 275 shot, but into the wind, obviously that comes way down, where driver I can still carry in the 290s to 300 into the wind.

Q. So the fact that you ranked 53rd in driving distance with not having a driver, should the 70 guys behind you be embarrassed?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don't know. You can ask them that.

Q. Was there also a putter switch?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I did. I switched back to the Spider right before the round. I've been using my blade for a while. I was hitting some putts on the putting green this morning, and it didn't feel too good, so I went and grabbed my Spider.

Q. With so much going on, is that a lot to focus on?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No. The first few holes, it took me a minute to kind of get back into what I was doing, just because -- especially a day like today with the wind blowing as hard as it is, for me, having a driver, which is kind of the club that I like to hit all the time off the tee really. Threw me for a loop there because it was literally ten minutes before I was teeing off when it happened. Managed to get a decent round in there.

Q. Did you use the same Spider you had with the same shaft, the LA shaft?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Not in a round of golf yet, but I'd hit some putts with it before. It rolled nicely. I was really pleased with the way I rolled it.

Q. Is your backup driver back home, and will you get that mailed to you this week?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don't really have one. I'm going to go find one right now.

Q. Where?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: What?

Q. Where are you going to find one?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I've got a couple heads that I'm going to go try to hit. Keith got me a couple heads.

Q. So if you -- this happens like ten minutes before your round. How much time did you have to get down to your car and get the 3-wood?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I didn't get it.

Q. I know you didn't, but how much time --

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I got it on the 3rd hole or 2nd hold.

Q. You started with 13 in the bag?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I was going to play with 13. It was all right with me.

Q. You're good enough.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I would have figured out a way. I figured out a way to shoot a decent score.

Q. The heads that you're going to test, are they the SIM or the SIM2?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don't know. I haven't seen them.

Q. You want to go find it right now, don't you?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yes. You all are holding me up.

Q. Is the putter going to stay in the bag?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yes.