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AT&T PEBBLE BEACH NATIONAL PRO-AMFebruary 13, 2010Dustin JohnsonPEBBLE BEACH, CALIFORNIA MARK STEVENS: We'd like to welcome Dustin Johnson to the interview room. Dustin shot another 64 today. Currently in the lead. If you could talk a little bit about your round today - got off to a great start - then we'll take some questions. DUSTIN JOHNSON: You know, that's key for me, getting off to a good start. Eagled the first hole. You know, hit two great shots just right past the flag. It just rolled in the back fringe and made it from there, 15, 20 feet probably. Hit a couple good shots on 2; just missed the putt. 3 is a tough little par-3. Hit a got shot in there and made the putt and kind of got rolling from there. Birdied 4. I hit driver down there shooting straight up the green about 80 yards and pitched it in there close. Hit two really good ones on 6. Driver on and then hit an 8-iron into 6, back right flag, and then I made the putt. Then 7, par-5, I hit -- my drive I hit it in the left rough. The rough is pretty deep over there. Kind of hacked it out just short of the green and got up-and-down from there. You know, hit some good shots on 8 and 9, and then made a bogey on 10. Then after that, I hit two really good shots into 11 about six feet for eagle and made it. Hit it about three feet on 12 and missed it. Misread it a little bit. Lipped it out and chipped in on the par-5. I hit two good shots there and pulled it a little bit in the back left bunker. The sand was -- not as much sand in the bunker as I thought, so I hit my chip -- I mean hit my bunker shot a little bit too long. Fortunately, I chipped it in coming back. Had a little 8-iron bump and run probably 15 feet and made that one. Then 15, hit it in there close. 16, kind of pulled it out in the fairway. Had it about 30 feet and two-putted, which was a good two putt. Then 17, hit hybrid and had like 44 yards and hit it in there about two feet. Easy birdie on that hole. 18, I hit great drive right down in the middle of the fairway 104 yards, I think. Hit a little sand wedge and kind of blocked it a little bit. But, still, you know, ended up pretty good. Had about a 20-footer straight up -- a little bit up the hill, probably cup right and just kind of smoked it through the break. Had about four or five feet coming back. As soon as I hit the putt, the ball bounced right and just missed the end. I'm very pleased with my round. Hit the ball great and putted good. Feeling very confident and looking forward to tomorrow. MARK STEVENS: Questions. Q. You talked yesterday about liking Spyglass and feeling good out there. Obviously that was true today. What exactly do you feel great about over there? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, the golf course, you know, the golf course itself sets up really good for my eye. You know, if I drive it straight out there I'm gonna have a good chance the at all the par-5s, so that helps. Then, I mean, the greens are soft, which I like. The greens there roll very good. Probably the best of the three, I think, as far as smoothness. You know, I just hit the ball great. Made a few putts. Q. You mentioned that you went for that birdie on 18 there. You were 9-under going into 18, and the course record is 10-under. Was that at all in your mind? DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I was just -- you know, I wanted to make it. You know, I put myself in a great position in the fairway. Had a good number. Just didn't hit as good of a wedge shot as I would have liked to. But I left it on the right side of the hole. Still had an uphill putt and just hit it too hard. Q. Seems you're a man for all seasons, whether it's rain or sun. Is it something particular, why you play so well and seem it score so well? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I just like these golf courses. You know, I have fun out here. I like the format of this tournament. I got a great partner, Joe Rice and I played with D.J. too the last couple years. We have a good time. We have fun. I think, you know, that helps out a lot. When you can have fun out on the golf course, it definitely helps you. Q. Historically, Spyglass has been the toughest golf course. Once upon a time 68 was looked at as a great score, and here with a 64. You like the golf course. Does Spyglass seem hard at all to you? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, yeah, if you're not hitting the ball that well it's definitely a tough course, because you got to drive it straight, first of all. I only missed a couple fairways today. I drove it really good. I mean, for me, you know, the length is not an issue. Doesn't play very long for me. You know, if I'm hitting in the fairway, then it definitely plays right into my hands. Because I can get to all the par-5s there. You know, I like all the par-4s and par-3s there. It's a great golf course. Q. (No microphone.) DUSTIN JOHNSON: Not too many of 'em. (Laughter.) Q. When you start a round off with an eagle, what does that do for your mindset? Does it set the tone for the day? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Obviously I'm in a good mood. You know, it's not really what score I make on the hole, it's kind of how the round starts. I hit a perfect tee ball, and then I hit a great rescue off the downslope right at the flag and almost made it. Rolled right over the hole. So, you know, I got off to a really good start and I had a good warm up this morning. I was feeling good. I felt good all day yesterday, I just didn't make any putts. Today I got off to a good start and rolled in some putts early and just kept it going. Q. (No microphone.) DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, any time you make an eagle it's fun and exciting. Yeah, it kind of got the vibes going early. Everybody is in a good mood. So it was a good day. Q. Tomorrow you're back at Pebble, of course. Is there any danger at all in thinking the U.S. Open will be here in a couple months, or are you just locked in on tomorrow's rounds without thinking about the future? DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, the U.S. Open is a long time away. Got a bunch of tournaments in between now and then. Yeah, I'm just worried about tomorrow. Q. How far out were you on the hybrid on 1? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I think I was like 251, 252. Q. Looking at tomorrow, there have been a ton of good scores at all three courses all three days. Do you look at it as you got to keep on going low? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, people are gonna play well tomorrow. I don't know how the weather is looking, but I assume it's gonna be nice. If the weather is good here, you're gonna have to play good. I mean, I'm looking to -- you're gonna have to shoot a good score if you want to win. Q. Looks like you're playing Paul Goydos tomorrow. He would probably be the first to say that you have a lot advantages over him. Have you ever played with him? Do you know much about him? Obviously he's been out here a long time. DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, I know Paul. Obviously he's a great player. You know, his game is definitely a little bit different than mine, and he finds a way to get it done. I mean, golf, that's what I got to do. It doesn't matter how far you hit it or where you hit it, you just got to find a way to get it in the hole. Whoever can get it in the hole tomorrow is gonna come out with the victory. Q. Have you ever gone into a tournament with such a lead as you have right now, or looks like you'll have teeing off tomorrow? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Not out here, other than last year at this tournament. But, you know, in college and amateur events, yeah, I've had the lead before going into the final round. Q. (No microphone.) DUSTIN JOHNSON: No. Still -- you know, I got my game plan set, and I'm gonna stick to it. Doesn't change the mindset at all. Still got to attack the golf course and make some putts. Q. You won last year at the shortened tournament. A win is a win. Will tomorrow, going in for a 72-hole tournament, will you feel like you have something to prove? DUSTIN JOHNSON: No. Last year was last year. I got to focus on tomorrow and getting the job done. I'm not gonna be thinking about last year at all. Q. Which holes do you not hit driver, par-4 or par-5 holes, do you not hit driver on at Pebble? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Probably -- I won't hit driver on 8; 15 and 16. Q. (No microphone.) DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah. 1, 8... Q. Do you like to mix it up off the tee? Do you like to hit a cut sometimes because the hole calls for it? DUSTIN JOHNSON: If I need to cut it I will, but I'd rather hit a draw. Q. You hit driver on 3 then, too? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah. Q. You go over the trees? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Over the trees. End of FastScripts |
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