THE RYDER CUP

September 25, 2021

Dustin Johnson

Whistling Straits

Press Conference

Saturday Afternoon Four-ball

JOHN DEVER: Welcome back to the 43rd Ryder Cup.

Q. Great playing this week, four points. You've always been a confident player but a successful player. Has there been anything different this week that has given you more confidence? Seems to be pretty comfortable out there for you.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, got a good partner. Had good partners. Played with Collin three matches and with Xander one match. Yeah, I mean, I like the golf course. Obviously the conditions yesterday afternoon, today, really all day this morning and this afternoon were really difficult.

I felt like just played really solid, but I like the golf course. I think we've got a great team, and like I said, you know, got a great partner in Collin.

Q. You've had the most Ryder Cup experience of anyone on this U.S. Team. Have players come to you to ask you about how to handle things, how to deal with things? Have they sought out your advice?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, yeah, we all obviously -- we are all close, so we all talk and share our experiences, especially guys who have played in them. Yeah, I've definitely talked to -- especially all the guys who haven't played before. Even though it's Collin's first Ryder Cup, doesn't really seem like it because he's a great player and he's had a lot of success early and he's played really well in a lot of big tournaments. Even though it's his first Ryder Cup, doesn't really seem like that.

For me to play with him, hopefully I'll play with him for the next few Ryder Cups that I play on.

Q. Three years ago, you were 1-4 in Paris, 4-0 this time. Do you chalk it up pretty much to just kind of the way this goes; this is golf; this is match play?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Exactly. Absolutely. Golf course suits me a little bit better here than Paris for sure. But yeah, I mean, that's just how it goes.

Q. Is that at all, I guess, more satisfying?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it's way more satisfying to win your matches, absolutely. Come on.

But no, for sure, obviously we know this one is on our home turf. It's a golf course where most of us have played and had success on, and quite a few guys on the team played well around here.

But you know, at the end of the day you still have to go out and execute shots and make putts if you want to win your matches.

Q. You were on the 2012 team, which obviously -- at Medinah.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yes.

Q. Could you talk about the parallels between that team so far and what this team is like?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: We're a lot younger. The guys on this team -- obviously I'm the oldest guy on this team. In 2012 I would have been not the youngest but I was one of the young guys on the team for sure.

Medinah obviously we played well. We had a pretty good lead going into singles. Just did not play well.

You know, it's not over. We've still got to go out, and everybody needs to play well. We've still got to get, what, four points, or 3 1/2. You know, it's not over.

Q. Is the vibe -- how different was the vibe in that team room for the first two days versus the vibe here?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I feel like this team, we're all really close. We all know each other. We play a lot of golf with each other. You know, so I feel like the vibe in the team room is really good. We all get along great. We're having a lot of fun.

Q. Was your approach going into this Ryder Cup any different being the oldest player on the team?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, it wasn't. Obviously in a different role, I guess, because generally I wasn't nearly the oldest person on the team. So we always had a lot of veterans and leadership.

This year was definitely different, but you know, like I said, the guys, we've got a young team, but all of them are really good players, and they all want to be here and they want to win. So it's a lot of fun to be a part of.