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ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS

March 26, 2008

Zach Johnson

AVONDALE, LOUISIANA

ZACH JOHNSON: It's my first time here and I'm very impressed. I knew they underwent some changes clearly with what happened in this area. They had to go through some changes. I don't know what it looked like before, but it's really good right now. They did a fantastic job, and the conditions I guess is what really makes it stand out.
It's running pretty fast, just the way we like. The greens are rolling very true, very pure, and everybody associated, especially the groundskeepers here, should be very proud.

Q. What's the biggest difference in your game now as opposed to a year ago when you won The Masters, now getting ready to defend your title?
ZACH JOHNSON: I don't know if there is a big difference frankly. I feel good. I feel like I'm a better player. I'm certainly more experienced. I've seen every arena that an American golfer can be in, so I've got that experience going for me. I'm probably a little bit more confident.
But I'm also humbled because it is still a game and it beats me up every now and then. I'm just excited to go back.

Q. Is there anything like -- we've talked to certain players that have certain clubs that they're going to test out this week specifically for The Masters. Any part of your game that you work on this week in order to prepare for Augusta?
ZACH JOHNSON: No, not necessarily. I'm preparing for New Orleans for New Orleans, and then next week I'll have an off week, and I'll prepare for Augusta as such. There's certain shots that you probably have to hit. But at the same time, any major for that matter, especially Augusta, it's putting first and foremost. Outside of that, you have to hit every shot. You have to have every shot.
Augusta is just a brutal entity. It's all condition and weather-based, and I feel like I've got the right clubs, the right arsenal. Titleist makes anything and everything I'd ever want and the best stuff I think there is out there. I feel good about it.

Q. I got a report last night that a lot of the players thought the greens were the best they've seen this year.
ZACH JOHNSON: On a Tuesday they're the best I've ever seen this year for a regular TOUR event. They're just as good today as they were yesterday, so yeah, they're excellent. I know there's some rain in the forecast and that could soften them up. But the beauty is they run pretty true. They're probably at least 11 on the stimp. I don't know what they are speed-wise, but that would be a guess, 11, maybe a little more at times.
But the beauty is that they're still fair and they still hold a little bit. You hit a long iron in there, you've got to play for release, clearly, but this golf course is one that you feel like that front yardage is pretty important. I like that golf. It requires good tee shots. The better you put the ball in the fairway the easier it is into the green, and I enjoy that.

Q. You said you enjoyed your round today?
ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, Pro-Am rounds are days where it's kind of a casual day. Granted, I get to see the course and work on things, but I'm here for the amateurs. I'm able to go out there and mess around with them, some local guys, some restaurateurs and some other businessmen in the area. It was awesome.

Q. You said you did practice yesterday?
ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, I played nine holes, yeah.

Q. Were there any holes that you liked in particular, that just kind of caught your eye?
ZACH JOHNSON: There's not one that stands out more than the others. The par-3s are very tough. You've got to hit a good, crisp iron shot, which is the way it should be. Or a wood for that matter. But I think the beauty of this course, and I think a lot of our TPCs are like that, I think the TOUR does a good job, is Mr. Dye has a lot of long par-4s with some character and left and rights, and then he's got some short ones, too, so it's a mix and match of both.
When you get a piece of property like that where there's not a whole lot of undulation change, it takes some creativity and certainly some movement, if you will, of the land to make it just add character to it. I think they've done an excellent job of that.

Q. Talk about this being your first time here. What was the decision to come here?
ZACH JOHNSON: Well, my decision is for playing any week. Certain golf courses, I think, lend themselves to me and my game, but this week was one where first and foremost I heard good things about it. I know David Toms very well, and he's spoken very highly of it. The tournament director and all the guys that are associated with the tournament, obviously they're going to tout it, but I trust them. They're completely honest.
But the other factor is scheduling for me. I schedule my off weeks just as much as I schedule my on weeks. This year being right before Augusta rather than after is pretty much what helped me get here.
You know, this is a better date, I think, for this tournament in my opinion. I don't want to take two weeks off before a major. I like to take one week if possible to prepare. Two weeks is -- often times I come back that first week back and I'm a little sluggish, so I didn't want to do that.
Nothing against Houston because I've heard good things about Houston, too, and I hope in time I can get there. But this fit really, really nice in my schedule.

Q. With that said, are you surprised there's not more guys out here, like Top 10, Top 20? I think Furyk is the only one in the Top 10.
ZACH JOHNSON: Stricker, too. But those are numbers. I wouldn't buy into those. Everybody is good.

Q. You're saying like you'd rather play two weeks before than a week before The Masters?
ZACH JOHNSON: Correct. I just don't want to have two weeks off before a major. I could play the week before or I could play two weeks before. I don't want to have a 14-day period off.

Q. We were talking about guys like Davis and Chris DiMarco that have to play their way in to get into The Masters this year.
ZACH JOHNSON: Good friends, yes.

Q. Look at that from a pressure standpoint. How difficult is that to do? It's obviously tough to win out here in the first place.
ZACH JOHNSON: This game is difficult as it is, let alone to qualify for this or qualify for that. You're talking about two of the more prolific names in the game, first and foremost; one that's won a major, been in contention in a bunch; and then Chris, who's been in contention or second in at least three or four that I can think of. You're talking about guys that they know what to do.
A couple injuries -- injuries sidetrack you, and that hurts the numbers -- as we were talking about, that hurts the World Ranking and affects it. But these guys, they're too quality of players to -- if it's not this year, it'll be next year. They're world-class athletes.

Q. Have you ever been to New Orleans?
ZACH JOHNSON: Yes, I played English Turn.

Q. But you've never been on this course?
ZACH JOHNSON: Correct.

Q. You were here in -- how far back would you have gone to English Turn?
ZACH JOHNSON: It was the year -- it would have been '06 when they had to move it there.

Q. Do the players talk a lot about it, the course?
ZACH JOHNSON: This week we are, yeah.

Q. When guys were talking to you about coming out here, did they play it up really big from last year?
ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, if there was any comments made, they were all positive.

End of FastScripts

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