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AT&T PEBBLE BEACH NATIONAL PRO-AM

February 16, 2009

Dustin Johnson

PEBBLE BEACH, CALIFORNIA

CHRIS REIMER: We want to first of all obviously congratulate Dustin Johnson, our winner here at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. First of all, I'm sure there's some folks you want to mention and thank, as far as the volunteers and things like that, so maybe some comments about the win and what it means to you.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, first of all, I want to thank Steve. He did a great job with the tournament this week. And then also all the volunteers. We can't do a tournament without the volunteers. They do a lot for us. They did a great job. Also the superintendent. I know we had a lot of rain, and he did a great job getting the courses together. They were a little wet, but you can't do anything about it. The courses were in great shape, though, so kudos to him.
You know, winning this tournament, it means a lot, especially for me because now I get to play in Augusta, and it's always been a dream for me to get to go there, and I'm very excited about that, especially only being about 45 minutes from where I grew up, so I couldn't be more happy.
CHRIS REIMER: Maybe talk about that and some of the other opportunities obviously this brings up. I believe you're in the U.S. Open now, as well, possibly into Match Play, and how this opens up a few other tournaments for you.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, anytime you can win, it opens up lots of doors for you as far as moving you up on the Money List. You know, getting the two-year exemption, and then I don't know how high it'll push me up in the World Rankings, but it's got to help a little bit. I don't know, I guess we'll see tomorrow or the next day what it does for me.
Yeah, I mean, I couldn't be more excited. It couldn't have come at a better time, either.

Q. You're obviously one of the better young players in the U.S. now with two victories. You got the first one in the Fall Series last year, but did you think two wins would come this quickly? What's it feel like to be all of a sudden a two-time PGA TOUR winner?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, you can't say I knew I was going to win twice in ten tournaments or however long it took, because you don't know what's going to happen out here. You could play the best golf you've ever played and someone else could play their best golf they've ever played and beat you. You know, I was fortunate enough to play really well this week the first three days, and then unfortunately we did get rained out on Sunday and Monday.
You know, I don't know. I'm kind of speechless.

Q. When you went home last night, how likely did you think it was that they would play today? What was last night like for you and how realistic did you think was the chance that you would play today?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I really knew -- I knew if it stopped raining there would be a chance that we would play. Last night at home having dinner, you know, I definitely prepared myself that we were going to play today.
You know, I even woke up this morning, I got ready, I did everything normal like we were going to play, and then I went outside, and unfortunately it was raining a little bit. So I just kind of -- I still went to have breakfast, and that's when I found out that we weren't going to play.
I did everything like we were going to, so I didn't expect not to play today. I prepared myself, too.

Q. What time did you find out?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I guess around 7:15 this morning. I found out from another player who actually called me and congratulated me, and I was like, "What are you talking about?" I had no idea.

Q. Obviously I think you're only the second 25-and-under player to have more than one win with Anthony Kim, and as you know there's been a lot of talk in the last few months about Anthony and Camilo and other young players. You haven't really been a big part of that conversation. What are your thoughts on that, and have you at all sort of read those stories and heard that hype and said, "Hey, I can do that good, as well?" I'm curious how you place yourself in that realm.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Obviously I've proved myself to be just as good as they are. Anthony is a great player. He's a good friend of mine, and he's done great things in the last two years, obviously for the Ryder Cup and then winning twice last year. Just to be mentioned with them is an honor. I'm just looking forward to the rest of the year and proving myself a little more.

Q. You mentioned Augusta and growing up 45 minutes away. Any childhood memories of that, or can you elaborate a little bit on the significance of landing a spot in that field?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, I just always remember being so close to that, going to the tournament a few times, and then growing up as a little kid, you're always on the putting green making that putt to win Augusta. It's just always been a dream of mine to play there.
I've had a few opportunities to go play. I didn't really want to because I wanted to earn my way into it, so I'm just very excited that I finally get a chance to go play it.

Q. You've had opportunities to play Augusta National just a casual round?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yes, just a casual round. Well, now that I said no, I really wanted to go. But a couple times just some things came up and I couldn't do it. I just really wanted to be in the tournament before I went and played.

Q. So you haven't played there at all?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I've never played there.

Q. And you said you went to the tournament a few times growing up. What are your memories of that?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, I just remember -- obviously there's a lot of people there, and I don't know, you just get some kind of feeling when you walk onto the grounds there, just how pretty the golf course is, how great a shape it's in, you know, all the memories it has. It's just unbelievable.

Q. How old were you when you went?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: First time I went, I don't know, I can't remember.

Q. Like seven or eight?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, probably a little older, probably 13 or 14.

Q. You don't remember who won?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I do not.

Q. Is it weird at all to earn your spot in the Masters this way? I'm sure in everyone's vision or dream, you're making a 40-foot putt on 18 to triumphantly raise your arms and claim your Masters spot as opposed to a rain delay on Monday morning.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, I don't really know. This is the first time it's ever happened to me. I'm still very excited. I played very well. I would have liked to have played today, but unfortunately we couldn't do that.
CHRIS REIMER: Talk about what you like about this tournament and what makes it special.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, I think what makes it special is the am part. Lots of guys pay a lot of money to come and play. I like the format where you just have one partner, and I was lucky enough to get Joe Rice last year. He was a great partner. We had a good time. We're really good friends. And then this year we played again together. Just playing at Pebble Beach, Spyglass and Poppy, three great golf courses, and I really like all three of them. They just really fit me well.
We had a great time. I played with DJ Trahan and his partner Rick, and we just had fun. We were out there laughing all day. It played very slow, so we did a lot of talking. I don't know, we just had a great time.
CHRIS REIMER: Congratulations, now two-time winner on the PGA TOUR Dustin Johnson. Thank you.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Thank you.

End of FastScripts

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