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TOSHIBA CLASSICMarch 8, 2008Mark JohnsonNEWPORT BEACH, CALIFORNIA DAVE SENKO: Mark, thanks for joining us. 69 today for 133, and 9-under going into tomorrow and three shots back. Maybe just give us kind of a recap on your day. MARK JOHNSON: It was a great day. You know, the weather was great and, you know, there's a lot of nice -- I had a lot of people out there rooting for me, and that's always a great thing. Anyhow, I got off to kind of a slow start. I mean, I just made a bunch of pars through the first six holes. Actually, I made an up and down on No. 3, the Par 5. Kind of hit a thin little bird shot and knocked it over the green and then chipped it and knocked in about an 18-footer for par, so that was kind of nice to keep things going. Then we just made a couple pars the next few holes. Then 7, you know, I hit driver off the tee because I wanted to try to get by the trees on the left. I didn't quite get by one of them, so I had like a bunch -- a little 8-iron underneath the tree and stuff and hit, I thought, a pretty good shot, but it went probably 40 feet past the hole. As you all know, that green is very severe, and I just hit it out on the toe a little bit and played probably about five feet to break, four feet to break. Probably five feet. Happened to go in. It was like a gift. That was my first birdie. Then going into 8 and I hit a rescue 3-iron in there. Had a really nice shot and just stayed on the flag all the way. I had probably about a four and a half-footer there in for birdie. So I was 2-Under through 18. That was pretty good. And then I pulled my drive once again on 9, over there towards the trees a little bit. Had to knock down a little 6-iron around, but ended up hitting it up into the fringe and putted it down and made par. So I turned to 2-under. Go to 10 and hit a perfect drive down the middle of the fairway. Had like 136 to the hole with my 9-iron. Hit a 9-iron to about 15 feet. Knocked that in to get to 3-under for the day. I was feeling pretty good. Yeah, we were tied for the lead at that moment. Anyhow, the 11th hole, the pin was in the back right-hand corner a little bit. You know, yesterday I hit 2-iron off the tee and today I tried to hit driver and I blocked it right. I punched a little 9-iron underneath a couple palm trees over on the right and knocked it just over the green a little bit and chipped up to probably about 14 feet probably. Just didn't quite hit the putt hard enough, and it was my first bogey of the tournament. Anyhow, I hit a good putt. Just didn't hit it hard enough. Then I go to -- hit a great 3-wood off the next hole, No. 12. Had sand wedge in there and had about probably a 12-footer for birdie and shoved the putts just a little bit. Then we go to the Par 3, 13, and I had like 156 to the hole. I hit 7-iron and I came out of it. I hit a horrible shot. Blocked it over there short of the bunker and I didn't hit a very good chip. I was just trying to survive and not hurt myself too bad and I made bogey there. Parred the next hole. 15, I hit a good drive and I had 3-wood in, like 223 hole to the into the wind, and pushed -- I mean, I actually had a pretty good shot. I hit it right towards the center bunker of the green. Had actually a fairly easy chip because it was on the upslope a little bit. I kind of caught it at the smidge at the end and knocked it by about 15 feet, somewhere in that range. The putt was like a left edge, inside left corner and I made it, so that was kind of nice. I parred 16, 17, and then 18 I made par there. So I ended up 2-Under. It was a nice, solid round, and we'll just see what happens tomorrow. That's all we can do. But Bernhard, what a pleasure to play with him. He's a great ball-striker. It's my first opportunity to get to play with him. What a great guy. You can see why he's won so many times all around the world. He's just a great ball-striker. Q. (No microphone.) MARK JOHNSON: I do now (laughter.) Q. (No microphone.) MARK JOHNSON: Yeah, so they're probably right. Q. Is this a typical example of this week of what confidence can do for your game? You come here, and as well as you're playing again? MARK JOHNSON: You know, yes. Actually, I've been on a little low, and I come here and things have kind of turned around a little bit. I got a good buddy of mine's come down to caddie for me. Chris Frame caddied for me last year. Great guy. He did a great job. He was so positive through my whole slump of last year. He never gave up one iota. He always believed in me, and still does. At the end of the year I asked Des if he would need anybody to caddie or whatever. Anyhow, he called me and asked if Chris was available. I called Chris, and I think they're working here and next week or whatever. I have no idea what my schedule is going to be, so I called a buddy of mine, Larry Babika (ph) that I played a lot of golf with. He knows how to get me motivated, and he's just a great guy. He came down to try to help me get turned around, along with a bunch of other people out there who helped me over the years, Dave Stockton, all the guys. It's been a little low. Looking forward, we have an opportunity tomorrow, but I'm going to have to play an awful great round of golf tomorrow. There are so many guys at 9-under. I'm not even sure how many guys are even at 9, but I'm going to have to go out and play a great round. Q. Looked like Bernhard was almost running away with it for a while. Did you sort much need some help from him? MARK JOHNSON: Well, yeah, I mean, I guess I did. You know, you never wish anything on anybody. I can just play my own game, and he played a wonderful round of golf. It was nice to be inside the ropes and get that opportunity to play with that caliber of golf with those guys. What a great guy. Tremendous ball-striker. It's fun to watch. Q. (No microphone.) MARK JOHNSON: Well, I've seen him hit it at a couple other tournaments, and he can move it up there. He hasn't won 85 times throughout the world, and he's not short, by any means. He hits it out there. Q. Are you 84 wins behind him? MARK JOHNSON: Yeah, I guess it you put it that way I am, yes. Q. You just need a little streak, right? MARK JOHNSON: Right. DAVE SENKO: Okay. End of FastScripts |
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