MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 8, 2022

Dustin Johnson

Quick Quotes

Q. How do you feel. Are you happy?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I'm okay.

Q. How would you describe the day?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: It was -- I felt like I was grinding all day, but with these conditions, I feel like you're going to. I didn't strike it quite as well as I did yesterday, you know, especially off the tee. I felt like I was swinging my irons good, I just didn't have a lot of chances to swing them.

When I did, I felt like I hit pretty good shots, other than maybe the one on 17, but I don't even know -- if I was trying to cut away, I couldn't cut it that much. I don't know if it might have had a little something on the ball.

Q. Were you hitting driver very much?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I hit a few more today than I did yesterday.

Q. What's the thinking behind that?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I'm just trying to keep between the trees so I can hit it on the green.

Q. Were you struggling with the driver this week?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I'm not swinging it as well as I'm swinging everything else. I feel really comfortable with all the other clubs in my bag, just maybe not quite as comfortable as I usually am with the driver. Usually I won't hit a 3-wood unless I absolutely have to, but for some reason right now, I'm just a little struggle with the driver.

I'm going to go work on it here for a few minutes and then go home and watch golf.

Q. I saw you and Austin have a pretty long convo over the second shot on 15. Why did you decide to layup there?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I had a good number, just it was a perfect 7-wood. But if I miss it at all, it's not going to cover. So I felt like the best way to get a good look at birdie was to lay it up.

Q. Is that hole playing differently this year?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, yeah, it's longer, so even when it was into the wind before, an extra 20 yards you could still get a 4-iron, which is not a bad club to come in there with especially when it's windy. It's a little easier to control. But, yeah, they definitely made it a little tougher.

Q. Are you trying to avoid missing long there? Is that the concern?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, yeah -- well, short mostly. I mean, you don't want to come up short. Yeah, it's just no good place to miss it. The right bunker is probably the best place to miss it on that hole if you're going for it.

Q. D.J., when you're warming up before a round that you know is going to be difficult, do you do anything differently? Do you adjust in any way?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I just kind of go through the same warmup. Might hit maybe a few more knock-downs or kind of chip shots because, when you get some of these crosswinds or into the wind, you're going to have to take a couple extra clubs and flight it down low.

Q. You talked a lot about over the past year trying to find a driver that lets you hit the fade. Is this a new issue, or is this something that's lingering?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I think it's an issue with myself more than anything. It's definitely not an equipment issue.

Q. You got issues?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, don't we all (laughter).

Q. Dustin, how cool is it to see Tiger out here doing well and doing his thing?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: It's good for golf, for sure. He brings a lot more excitement and fans, a lot more people watching. I mean, I think all of us like having Tiger back.

Q. What makes Tiger, Tiger in your mind?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, just look at his record and what he's done. Obviously he's kind of changed the game of golf in a good way. So it's great to have him back and playing again.

Q. Would you have thought coming into the week that 2-under through 36 holes would leave you in pretty good shape? Does it feel that way?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, with the conditions like the forecast was, but obviously yesterday being soft, it was -- but with the wind, it just plays difficult.

It's not like it's just a steady wind. It's pretty gusty, which makes it harder. With the soft conditions, course is playing longer, so you've got longer clubs in.

Yeah, I would have -- 2-under is definitely in a better position than I probably thought I would be.

Q. This week is the strategy about being safe as opposed to being attacking?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, you just don't -- so far you get a couple shots a day where you might can attack the flags, but that's about it. You don't get a whole lot of wedges in your hand. You've got to play the par-5s well, which I haven't done over the first two rounds. So I think I'm, what, 2-under maybe on the par-5s. So I need to play them a little bit better over the weekend.

Q. What did you hit on 4 for three?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I hit a 6-iron.

Q. What do you think you would have hit if they left the tees all the way back today? 5 or 6-iron?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: 3-wood (laughter). No, probably a 4-iron or something. I kind of just chipped a 6-iron kind of keep it under the wind. Wasn't really trying to hit it right of the flag.

Q. What was the worst wind issue you had today?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Probably 10.

Q. That really fooled with you.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: 10. Yeah, my ball went about 20 yards further than I wanted it to. Made a nice 4 though.