JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 1, 2022

Zach Johnson

TPC Deere Run

Quick Quotes

Q. (Regarding the rain delay.)

ZACH JOHNSON: I think it was pretty inconsequential. We're pretty used to start, stop, start, stop out here. That's not anything out of the ordinary, probably not really anything out of the ordinary here in particular. I don't think there was any ill effects or positive effects.

Q. Greens any more receptive?

ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, maybe. You expect that. There wasn't a ton of rain. The fairways were still bouncy, so the course is as good as I've seen it. It's only going to get better as time goes on, because some of the rough skirts by the bunkering is new. Once that matures this course is only going to get better with time.

I think D.A. Weibring did a fantastic job.

Q. Yesterday you said it played one of the hardest you ever played it.

ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah.

Q. How did it compare today?

ZACH JOHNSON: Today was much more manageable and gettable. Yesterday I putted better probably as a whole. Probably hit it just as good today; didn't hit many wedge close today.

Actually hit some wedges where thought, man, that's going to be -- no, not very good. So maybe missed yardages, missed clubs. Really, really bad sand wedge on 1 that cost me. Arguably could have been a lot worse.

So today was a day of opportunity that I kind of let slide by. I hit my driver fine, hit a lot of fairways, gave myself ample opportunities. Just couldn't capitalize with my wedges. That's in the normal, and it's also a little bit frustrating.

But at the same time, I hit some good shots and I gave myself opportunities pretty much for the most part almost every hole, especially coming in. That's all you can ask for.

Q. How do you deal with it mentally when you have a great chance at eagle, turns into a really great chance at birdie. You take it, but how do you recover from that?

ZACH JOHNSON: Well, I mean, depends on your definition of a great chance at eagle. I had 45 feet. I'm a percentages guy. 45 feet uphill with break is not a great opportunity. It's a great opportunity to try to two-putt and get out of there with a four.

If it goes in, sorry, it's just bonus. I was very happy with an eagle putt on any hole, let alone that one.

Q. No wind today. Seemed like the course played a little bit easier. (Regarding the guys in the afternoon.)

ZACH JOHNSON: I think it could. I mean, as I mentioned yesterday, I thought yesterday was one of the harder days I competed out here as far as conditions, gusts. If you have it 10 to 15 from a one direction, that's another thing. When you have 15 to 25 and gusts, kind of swirls, that's another.

With these hills it swirls a little bit. So today you would like to see it even on the out in afternoon wave, get that wind, but it's not. That's golf. I've been on the bad end of waves this year. It evens out.

I've had some good ones. I had a really good one about seven years ago across the pond. I'm not going to complain. That's just an observation.

Q. As you're heading back to St. Andrews, are there things from that day or week that you couldn't see on TV or that weren't really written about much that still stick out in your mind?

ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, there is going to be some significant things probably, and then also some subtleties or nuances that will probably surface as time goes on.

The day that kept me in it was the third round. I had a good first two days, but the day that kept me in it was the third round, specifically my last nine holes.

Saturday was a -- they made the cut late that day I believe. Canceled play, they went back out, yeah.

So Saturday was the wind delay, and I didn't have to play golf that day. I practiced at like 9:30 that night. So I practiced for like an hour at 9:30 knowing I had a late tee time in the third round on Sunday.

Sunday was the opposite. Very benign day and a day you had to get after it. I remember going out there and it's just you got to put the pedal down. Through that first 12 or 13 holes I hit every green in regulation and I had two three-putts. I three-putted a par-4 for par and par-5 for par.

That was frustrating. My frustration was pretty high at that point. Knowing that I'm in a position in a major championship with only so many holes left, I still stuck to it and I finally made a few putts coming in that kept me in it going into Monday.

Obviously was behind going into the last round, but I was only three or four shots. Could've been a lot more.

Q. How about afterward? Any little things you remember that were particularly special to you maybe that we wouldn't know?

ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, couple things. Number one was that it was the second Open Championship that my wife has ever been to, so to share that with her was special. With kids and schedule and things of that nature she just hasn't gone over that much. We were there together the whole week. The other thing that was really cool afterwards was going into the R&A building that sits basically right behind the first tee/18th green.

Going in there and having a little conversation with the R&A members, officials, was really special. Seeing some of the history in there that they had of a very, very, very old building. Older than this country probably.

You know, them embracing me and obviously accepting me was something I will never forget. It was Peter Dawson's last go as the captain of the R&A, so I was his last champion. Since that point we've become pretty good friends.

Got a connection down in south Georgia so I see him down there a little bit. Little things like that that probably transpired and started because of that win.

Q. Do you expect a lot of things to come to you as you arrive back on the property?

ZACH JOHNSON: You know, I don't know. That's a great question. Talking to my team, you know, there is, I want to say there is other St. Andrews -- they have like a little event with past champions. I know -- I'm pretty sure there used to be or was a dinner. Whether it happens or not, I don't know, of champions.

There is then like a four - I think it's 1, 2, 17, 18, which is actually the playoff that I played in. I think there is like a four-hole silly thing on Wednesday. Again, I haven't heard that's going to happen.

Things like that, other fun things. Last thing I'll leave with, I got in the wee hours the morning that next day. Landed in Jacksonville, about an hour from my house. Got into St. Simons where I live and met some buddies with my wife, with the Claret Jug and some friends and no one else at Waffle House, 4:00 a.m. That was awesome.