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WGC ACCENTURE MATCH PLAY CHAMPIONSHIPFebruary 16, 2010Dustin JohnsonMARANA, ARIZONA CHRIS REIMER: We have Dustin Johnson we want to welcome to the media center at the Accenture Match Play Championship. Obviously a great win at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro Am. Just talk about maybe the last 24 to 48 hours if you could. DUSTIN JOHNSON: It's been a good 48 hours since Sunday afternoon. I haven't really done much. You know, my coach came to town, so I've been working with him a little bit. And then also trying to get used to these greens. They're a little bit faster than last week, so trying to get the speed down. And just been taking it easy. Had a nice dinner with all the Taylor Made guys last night, so that was cool. CHRIS REIMER: Your first round match with Camilo Villegas, talk about going up against him tomorrow. DUSTIN JOHNSON: I think it's going to be a really good match. I'm playing really well right now. And Camilo is a great player. And anytime you've got match play it's going to be -- most of the time it's going to be an interesting match. And I'm really looking forward to tomorrow. Q. A different frame of mind? Last week you know going in it's a marathon, and this week is a sprint. You've got to be ready right away, a different frame of mind? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it's definitely -- it's a fun tournament for us. It's a different format, it's a little bit more laid back. You've only got -- you don't have to play the whole field, you're just playing the guy that you're playing that day. So I like this format. I enjoy playing match play. Yeah, it's definitely a different frame of mind, because you don't have to score on every hole. If you hit a bad shot or you hit -- you can just pick up. And so that's nice. And so it's not as much of a grind as normal. It's a fun week. Q. I wouldn't mind your definition of laid back. Some guys say if they play this every week they'd have to go into a rubber room or something, they'd go nuts? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I played a bunch of match play events and amateur. And I played here last year. I drew a tough match in the first round last year, I played Stricker. I think I lost two and one. But it's totally different than a normal TOUR event. But it's -- you know, I like it and it's -- you know, to me it's a little more relaxing than a normal week. Q. Just worried about one guy? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah. Q. Do you study the bracket at all or just you know who you're playing? Do you look at anybody else at all? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I haven't seen the brackets. I just know I'm playing Camilo in the first round, that's all that matters. Q. When do you see the bracket? Just for grins, will you look to see who else is in your little quadrant? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I haven't looked yet. I'm sure my caddie knows. He's more into that stuff than I am. All you can really do is worry about who you're playing that day. Q. I think the reason we ask is that every year everybody says I'm only -- I only know the guy I play. But we basically don't believe it. I mean, as a fan wouldn't you just look to see who's in there just for grins? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, yeah, if I -- Q. It doesn't matter, but aren't you curious? DUSTIN JOHNSON: If one is sitting next to me at breakfast, of course I'll look at it. But I'm not going to go out of my way to find the bracket to see who all is in it. Everyone here is good players. They don't make it here because, you know, out of a fluke. So it really doesn't matter who you're playing, it's going to be a tough match and you're going to have to play well. Q. So you don't want to fill out the bracket and get in the pool? DUSTIN JOHNSON: No. Q. You've been playing really well. What's been the difference in your game or is it a number of things? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, I think I'm doing everything a little better this year, driving it -- you know, driving it straighter. My short game has been pretty good. I'm definitely putting well. I'm finally getting -- I've been playing the Taylor Made, the Penta ball a while now. And it's really helping me out a lot. My distance control is a little better and in the wind it's helping me a bunch, too. I think just about every tournament we've played so far has been windy. Q. Based on what you played last year, is this course where you can hit driver as much as you want? DUSTIN JOHNSON: From what I remember from last year, no. There's a lot of -- you hit driver enough, I mean there's -- obviously a good amount of hole I'll hit driver on. But there's a lot of holes I'll hit iron off the tee or a hybrid or something like that. Q. There's a short one on the back? DUSTIN JOHNSON: 15. Yeah, I'll hit driver there. CHRIS REIMER: You mentioned your coach is in town. It was interesting to see after a victory out on the range yesterday for several hours and the chipping greens and stuff like that. Q. Is that different after your third victory, you're just back to work the next day or is it just because your coach was here and you had to get some work done? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, yeah, I mean after my first few victories, I think we might have celebrated a little too much, so I learned my lesson there. So I just had a nice dinner Sunday night with my caddie and we -- we came over here Monday morning, and it's back to work. It's kind of a short week to get ready for this event, so you've got to get in work Monday and Tuesday. Q. Where did you eat? DUSTIN JOHNSON: We ate at the West in Carlsbad. Q. Do you get recognized much? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, enough. Q. What do you mean? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean most -- most people if you follow golf, they know who I am. But walking through the airport, probably -- I try not to get noticed, so I've usually got a hat on. So, I don't know. Q. You like it that way? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I don't want to be bothered, really, so it doesn't matter to me. I've usually got headphones in or something. Q. I meant to ask you, too, do you remember who you played singles at the Walker Cup? DUSTIN JOHNSON: I should remember but, no, I don't. Q. It fits well with that little bracket story that we're doing? DUSTIN JOHNSON: The first match I remember was me and Colt played Roy McIlroy and -- Q. Some other guy? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, one of the other guys on the team. But I do remember that match. We ended up halving it but I was alternate shot. Q. Last week as we looked forward to June they were telling us that the rough was probably going to be -- less than it has been, probably in the two and a quarter to just under three inches on the shorter holes. What are your thoughts on that? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, I mean, the rough out there is pretty -- it's thick. Even it was thick last week, it was higher than normal, I thought. It's going to be interesting, especially with the new grooves. Last year compared to this year, you know, when you hit it in the rough you didn't really -- not out there, because it was over-seeded rye or whatever it is. And you didn't have to worry about the ball jumping. Now the ball, when it comes out of the rough, it's jumping. And so that's going to -- you know that's going to make it for a little bit more of an interesting golf tournament. Q. Firm greens? DUSTIN JOHNSON: Firm greens. You're just going to have to be real careful when you're in the rough, hit it to the front edge and that's about it. CHRIS REIMER: Good luck. End of FastScripts |
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