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JOHN DEERE CLASSIC

July 12, 2009

Zach Johnson

SILVIS, ILLINOIS

Q. Zach, it was 5-under and 36 holes later 17-under. Size up the day.
ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, it was just survival today. I mean, 36 holes is brutal. My putter was pretty dang good today. I mean, I made a lot of putts. I was seeing my lines nice, had some good reads, and my speed was pretty good for the most part. That's really what kick started my day.

Q. Saw you doing some scoreboard watching the final few holes. You knew the situation going in. Did that change your strategy on any of the holes?
ZACH JOHNSON: No, I knew I had to get birdies. I figured after about the 3rd hole, so would've been my 12th, if I could get it 20 I would have a pretty good chance.
I probably got too ahead of myself. I hit some quality shots, but I made a bogey in there, and that really hurt.
But I finished though. I mean, I hit good shots coming down the stretch and gave myself chances.

Q. Had a nice stretch there. Three birdies in a row as you're getting ready to make the turn. Did you feel like, Hey, I've got something going here?
ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, absolutely. That's exactly right. I made a bad bogey on I guess it was 13 with a wedge, and then got it going again. That was nice to see. It's good me my game is coming around, and it's also good I can play decent here. I haven't played well here forever. I'm excited about next week.

Q. So time to do some more scoreboard watching.
ZACH JOHNSON: Well, yeah. I mean, I'm gonna need a lot of help. A lot of good guys here and a lot of good players. A lot bunched up there.
You never know. Never wish ill will on anybody, but I'm gonna wait, each, and rest.

Q. It was maybe a situation where it's almost as if you may be the better man today, but Stricker may be the better man over four days. I mean, we don't know. But how do you feel about the way that you came out and played today?
ZACH JOHNSON: Well, I mean, you pretty much said it. It's a four-day tournament. My first two days just didn't -- you know, too many pars and probably too many bogeys.
But today the last two rounds were obviously very good. I mean, I did a lot of positive. My putter was great and I hit a lot of solid shots. You know, more positives than negatives, and that's really all I can ask for.
Especially considering this is kind of my fifth major. I've just never played well here. It's nice when, one, I can play well here, and I'm playing decent going into next week.

Q. I was going to ask, what was the difference this week as opposed to the other places where you weren't as successful?
ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, you know, I don't know. I was relaxed this week. My focus this week was just to kind of go about my business in a manner that was resting, to be honest. I mean, granted, Friday didn't help, but resting for next week.
If my focus could be on just on the process of each shot and that sort of thing, good things can happen. I think I did a pretty good job.

Q. Will the 36 affect you next week?
ZACH JOHNSON: Right. Well, I mean, 36 is brutal, but it's also one of the reasons why I work out. It's just an integral part of my game is my fundamentals, you know, the mental side.
I'll be fine. I'm gonna eat a lot tonight and get on the plane and sleep a lot, and I'll be ready to go. I mean, the British Open is not hard to get ready for.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
ZACH JOHNSON: I thought I could make a charge. I mean, I'm never gonna say I can't. Yeah, I mean, I certainly had a lot of opportunities, and that's really all you can ask for. A lot of positives today.
First two days, first two rounds rather weren't terrible, I just didn't score. It was nice to get some putts to fall and give myself a lot of opportunities.

Q. Any difference in your game?
ZACH JOHNSON: I made a lot of putts is really what it boils down to. I mean, drove the ball nice for the most part. Hit one or two errant drives, but drove it well and putted it well. That's really what capped it off.

Q. Of those shots, you might remember that one on 4.
ZACH JOHNSON: 5 you mean?

Q. 4 actually. You made the bogey chance, but 4 was a pretty good birdies chance.
ZACH JOHNSON: Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, that was just a mystery. I had a good putt. Hit it solid obviously. Hit it two feet solid by the hole. Yeah, that was a complete mystery.

Q. As the day went on, did you catch yourself looking at the leaderboard?
ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, on a couple occasions. I mean, I felt like I had to. It's one of those situations where playing, you're the lead and in one of the last few groups, you have a feel as to what's going on.
But if you're nine holes ahead of the final groups, you have to kind of see what's going on. I mean, there's a time to be aggressive and a time to be conservative. I think you would be foolish to not to pay attention.

Q. With your connection to this tournament, how special would it be for you to win at the end of this day?
ZACH JOHNSON: Can I have too many? Yeah, I think so. It would be very special. It's a place, I mean, it really has done a lot for me. John Deere and the tournament and staff here gave me two sponsor's exemptions when I had no status, and now I'm on the board of the tournament.
You know, I come here because I love the golf course for sure, family and friends. But really it's my support here. I mean, that's really why I'm here. It's not hard to be here. It's enjoyable. Like I said, just the fact it's reassuring I can actually play decent here.

Q. Did you feel the love when you got up on the leaderboard?
ZACH JOHNSON: Every shot, every hole. Even if I made a two-footer for par, I mean, they were clapping. It was awesome. It was fantastic.

Q. You said it's nice to finally play well here. Even if you don't end up wining a second or third place, whatever it is, good to finally get right up there near the top at this tournament?
ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, I'm never content or complacent with that, but there's certainly more positives than negatives involved in a top 5 finish or whatever.
You know, you always want to win. That's why I play the game. I want to give myself opportunities to be in contention. That's why I play the game of golf.
Today was brutal because of the walk and the 36 holes. I thought I did all right. There was a reason, like I said over there, I work out hard. That's one of the reasons.

Q. What kind of momentum will this give you now going overseas?
ZACH JOHNSON: I think, you know, a pretty substantial amount. Golf is a game of confidence, and when you get some confidence momentum can ride with it. It can be pretty dangerous and can be a lot of fun.
I'm going across the pond to another country and a totally different golf course. But I'm hitting the ball solid and I'm reading my lines decent, and it's that's really all you can ask for.

Q. The fact that it was 36, did it help you to get off to a good start, were playing well and could just keep playing.
ZACH JOHNSON: I think so. I kind of thought about that at the beginning of the day. I mean, if I could get off to a good start and get some momentum, you know, I felt like I could -- you know, there's no reason why I can't keep on going with it.
For the most part I did that. Damon and I had a good strategy today and were feeding off each other.

Q. Question regarding hole No. 9.)
ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, well, I was trying to make a birdie obviously. I mean, I've got 225 yards, 226, something like that. I'm between a 5-wood and a 3-iron, but I'm like, I've got adrenaline. I'm gonna hit a 3-iron.
And I hit it. It probably would've got there. My (indiscernible) took over. It was a little conservative, but on a 109 yard par-4, I wasn't too upset.

Q. What are you gonna do over the next hour while you wait?
ZACH JOHNSON: I'm gonna eat and rest and eat some more.

Q. Considering your connection to this tournament, is there any disappointment finishing on 9?
ZACH JOHNSON: No, I mean, not really. The people that are on 9, I felt like I was walking down 18. When I walked down 18, my 27 pole felt like 18. It was impressive.
The John Deere people, their clients, and then obviously all my family and friends and that sort of thing, you know, I'm kind of in awe.

Q. Did Jonathan enter your thoughts at all today?
ZACH JOHNSON: Couple times, yeah.

End of FastScripts

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