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BUICK CHAMPIONSHIP

August 24, 2005

Zach Johnson

CROMWELL, CONNECTICUT

THE MODERATOR: We thank Zach Johnson for stopping by the 2005 Buick Championship. You finished T3 last year in your first appearance, your rookie year. Currently 26th on the Money List this year, having a good sophomore season as well.

ZACH JOHNSON: Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: Talk a little bit about first playing here last year and your good finish.

ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, it was a good week. I learned a lot. Got off to a pretty good start. I believe I was tied for the lead after the first two rounds maybe. Yeah, and then I played with Fred Funk on Saturday. Had a good time with Fred. Always have a good time with Fred. I got a little dehydrated out there, my blood sugar I had like a migraine. It was miserable the last seven, eight, nine holes.

From that point on Sunday, rather, I was able to drink the get the necessary drinks and foods in me. Sunday I played great. I think I birdied the last five holes. You know, I finished tied for third, but really I was a bit lucky at the end.

THE MODERATOR: Darren Clarke was talking earlier, this is his first appearance here, and he said it looks like it should be easy when you go out there. He said when he walked off, it wasn't what he thought it would be.

ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, that's exactly right. I think the way I explain this place, it's one of the better courses I think on our TOUR. I say that primarily for one reason well a couple reasons. You got lefts, you got rights, you have long holes, you got short holes. The last three, four, five holes are great finishing holes. But the best part of the golf course is it's withstood the test of time.

Golf courses, seems we are lengthening. We haven't had to do that with this course. There's been very little changes. I think this course and this field could strengthen, just given the time of year. Too many big events right around it, so it makes it difficult for the big sluggers to come on out.

It's one of my favorites.

THE MODERATOR: You have five top tens this year. They've kind of come in two different bunches. You ran off three in a row and March, kind of on a streak right now where you went T2 Buick Open, T17 at the PGA, and T9 last year in the NEC. Coming into the week with things going well.

ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, I feel better about things. I had a little minor slump in the middle of the year. For whatever reason, I seem to do that. I just think this game is somewhat cyclical in the fact that you get things going and you try to ride it out as long as you can, then something kind of goes astray, you try to figure it out rather than going back to basics.

I don't know, for whatever reason I'm getting back to where I was. It's not where I want to be. There's a lot of room for improvement. I just got to keep working hard. But I've hit a lot of balls over the last two months. Just trying to get back to where I was at the beginning of the year. I think I'm getting close.

THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up to questions.

Q. You said you learned something from the experience last year. One or two things in particular, other than getting a migraine?

ZACH JOHNSON: That was the big thing, is just how to hydrate and how to replenish my body. I don't know if you guys remember, it was so hot, so humid, especially that Saturday. The hills, I don't want to say they're severe, but they're substantial out there. I was drinking a lot of water, drinking a lot of Powerade, but yet I still had to go to the bathroom a lot. That's a lot of information, I realize that (laughter).

Q. Got a migraine playing with Fred?

ZACH JOHNSON: No, no, Fred is the best. I always play good when I play with Fred, except with the exception of that round. We played at Sawgrass this year. He won. I played pretty well. We played together at Flint where we both played pretty well. No, it wasn't Fred.

But I learned a lot of other things. I was probably going into the Back 9 on Sunday, the other big thing I learned was I was probably four or five, five or six shots out of the lead. I played pretty well, pretty solid. I parred 10, birdied 11, thinking, "Here we go." At 12, I pump one out of bounds, make six. Well, you know, it's over from here. Next hole I hit it on in two and 3 putted for par, the par 5. I don't have a chance now, let's just try to finish strong. I birdied the next five holes, missing a 5 footer for eagle on 15. I still had a chance of winning the golf tournament.

It's a humbling game, but yet it's one where you're never really out of it till you pick up your ball on the 18th hole. I never quit, but that really hit me in the forehead to really never quit. You never know what can happen. Granted, I mean, I hit it close on 14, 15, like I said, missed a 5 footer for eagle, so I made birdie there. Hit it close on 16, pretty close on 17, I made a bomb on 18. Given that, you know...

You look at Tiger, the way he comes back. Everybody says he's never out of a golf tournament. He's never out of a golf tournament because he knows he can come back and he does. That was a big confidence booster for the remainder of the year last year at this time.

Q. Had you ever made five straight birdies at any time at the end of a round?

ZACH JOHNSON: I can't remember at the end of a tournament. I'm pretty sure I have in a tournament. I don't know what my consecutive record is. I don't think I birdied the last five closing a golf tournament.

Q. What is your schedule the rest of the year? How do you stay motivated?

ZACH JOHNSON: Well, the first part of your question, I'm not quite sure. I plan on playing Boston next week, however I'm tired. This is my third in a row. I might not. I'm taking Vancouver off for family reasons. I'm planning on playing the 84 Lumber. I am going to play that for sure. According to Captain Nicklaus, I'm supposed to be waiting by my phone the following week for The Presidents Cup. The way he explained it, I could get a phone call on Wednesday. Given that, having the honor of being first alternate, whatever, which he gave me, I've got to make that a responsibility. I'm not going to play San Antonio. I don't want to play The Presidents Cup due to injury, but I'm on call. After that, I think it's Greensboro. What is after that?

THE MODERATOR: Greensboro.

ZACH JOHNSON: I'm going to play Greensboro. I love the golf course. AMEX, which if I get in, looking okay now, San Francisco, Vegas, up in the air. Disney, I'm not going to play. Then Tampa, I'll play, because I didn't play Tampa last year. Hopefully TOUR Championship.

Q. Have they let you know how long you wait for alternate?

ZACH JOHNSON: Well, I mean, like I said, I could get a phone call from Captain Nicklaus or somebody with the team Wednesday night before the first round Thursday. If that's the case... I'm not going to be there. We kind of discussed that. Probably wouldn't look very good. I totally agree with it. That's our team. I think it's a great team top to bottom. It's something that, you know, I'm just kind of waiting if need be. I guess you can look at me as a guy a major league team needs to bring up if need be, if a pitcher goes down. I don't know how to look at it.

Frankly, I don't want to have to play because that means someone got hurt. That's the last thing that I want to happen with this team. You have our top 10, made it in points. A lot of, you know there's a lot of experience there in these Presidents Cups, Ryder Cups, but yet there's still some youth. Tiger is only 29. He's my age. Stewart Cink, he's like 31. Justin's not very old. A lot of guys there that are young. You also have the experienced veterans that play and play well. You know, Fred Couples, his record speaks for himself in match play, especially at RTJ. I'm hoping I don't have to play. If need be, I take the honor and privilege.

Q. What were your thoughts when you weren't selected? You were so close.

ZACH JOHNSON: Well, I mean, it was one of my goals at the beginning of the year, was to make The Presidents Cup. As a matter of fact, it's probably one of my biggest goals, loftiest goals. The way I wanted to make the team was to finish in the top 10. I didn't want to have to be a pick. Frankly, you know, why would he pick me? This is my second year on TOUR. I have no experience in that sort of arena. I would have loved to have been pick and relish the opportunity. But I think, like I said, I was a bit upset but totally understand.

The two picks he had are more than valid, more than legitimate. Justin has won twice this year, right? Justin won twice this year. He finished 11th. That's pretty much a lock, if not a lock. Then Fred, I mean, he hasn't played as much as I have this year and still finished like 16th or 17th on the list maybe.

THE MODERATOR: 17th.

ZACH JOHNSON: 17th on the list, hasn't played as much as I have. He hasn't had the opportunity to make as much money, one. He finished high at the British, and I think one or two other majors. I know he finished second at Muirfield. He's had a good summer. Definitely a better summer than I have leading up into The Presidents Cup. I've come strong as of late, but might be a little late.

Chad Campbell right there, too, who was on The Ryder Cup. Any guy he would have picked would have been an understandable pick.

Q. Do you have a game plan for this course, maybe a number you're looking for, parts of the course you think your game is suited to?

ZACH JOHNSON: Good questions. You know, I think as of right now, if the wind stays the way it is, it's different than it was last year for the most part. Last year I remember hitting a lot more wedges into par 4s. I think the fairways were a bit more firm and the putting surfaces were a little firm. Greens are firming up, so it's going to be good. That's going to make it hard.

As far as holes you can attack, there's only two par 5's. Those are the ones you like to pick out. They're pretty good holes. I mean, downwind, 13 is very much a birdie hole. I mean, I hit 5 iron in there today. I don't hit I don't know what my driving average is, but I'm probably top hundred in distance. Not like I kill it. That's a very reachable hole. I know guys with this wind will be getting home on 6, too. Those are two holes you want to attack.

You hit a good tee shot on 15, the short par 4, you may have an eagle putt, chip and a putt, whatever, so that's a birdie hole. Really, other than that, there really aren't many holes. You got to keep it in the fairway. Old cliches, 'fairways and greens,' because there's some trouble out there. But it's fair. It's right out in front of you. No secrets.

Q. (No microphone.)

ZACH JOHNSON: It seems to be. I don't know what my total was. What did I play the first two rounds? I don't know what I was at. I think the winning score was 10 under. That's pretty good. I mean, seems like oftentimes we're trying to shoot 20 under before we even tee it up. This type of golf course, that isn't going to happen. Like Darren Clarke said, it kind of feels like you should, but it's too demanding, I guess.

Q. How are the fairways holding up? Is the rough pretty spotty?

ZACH JOHNSON: I think the fairways are fine. You know, there's some worn areas, as you alluded to. I think it has to do with probably more humidity and temperature than anything else. I don't think it's probably a lack of rain or too much rain. It's more the temperatures. The greens are great.

The rough, yeah, it's spotty. It's penalizing at times, and there's times where you can get a break, which seems to be the norm this year. I don't think it's terribly too long, but I don't think it's too short. Around the greens, it's fairly healthy.

Q. You mentioned on Saturday you were drinking a lot of water. What did you change for Sunday?

ZACH JOHNSON: I was drinking a supplement on Sunday. It's called Amino Vital. I drank it since then on the golf course every round.

Q. Are they giving that away?

ZACH JOHNSON: No. One of the trainers out here, who is now may trainer, is the supplier of it. One of those things where if you carry the towel, you get the supplement. It's great. It helped me. For me, it helped keep my focus, more or less my blood sugar at an even level. I was just way off, unbelievable.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Zach.

ZACH JOHNSON: Thank you, guys.

End of FastScripts.

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