MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 3, 2023

Dustin Johnson

Quick Quotes

Q. Looking at 13, you have some comment? Looking at mid-iron?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I hit a really good drive today, but most likely in the tournament, it's going to be really hard for me to get one there just because, I mean, it's practice round. It's a little easier. I don't like to turn the ball over.

I hit a really nice one today, which is pretty much straight ball. For me, that's a big draw. Yeah, most likely I'll be laying up all four days unless depending on the wind and you get a good one down there.

Yeah, it definitely made the hole more difficult. Obviously guys that can turn the driver over, it helps them out. It's not really my forte with the driver hitting a draw.

Still can make a 4. So there's a lot of ways to do that.

Q. Is it more of a challenge this year for you just having not played as many tournaments as you would normally play coming in here?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No. I mean, I usually don't play that many. I probably only played one or two less than normal.

No, the game is -- if I'm ready, I'm going to be ready no matter how many events I played.

Q. Is it difficult to gauge yourself on maybe how you're going to do out here because maybe you haven't seen these guys in a while?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No. I played a long time with all these guys. So if I'm playing how I should, yeah, I can -- I'll be right there at the end.

Q. What's the dynamic that I think a lot of golf fans standing around watching are wondering about the dynamic of LIV and PGA? What's that like for you right now?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: For me it's the same. All my buddies are still my buddies, and we play, and it's still golf. So it doesn't matter where you play at.

Q. What's the biggest difference this year compared to the previous years?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: For me, nothing.

Q. Nothing different?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No. I still play golf for a living. I'm here at the Masters and enjoying this week. This week's all about Augusta.

It has nothing to do with where you play at, but guys that are here, they play all around the world. Not everybody just plays on one spot.

For me, like I said, all my buddies are still my buddies. Enjoy seeing them. It's nice to see a lot of the guys because I haven't seen them all that much.

So it should be a great week and looking forward to it.

Q. Did it make you feel good to hear -- I don't know if you heard it, but a lot of guys on PGA TOUR were asked who they miss the most, and you're pretty much the name that always comes up.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, that's always nice. Like I said, a lot of the guys I'm good friends with, played a lot of golf with all of them and enjoy being around them.

It's nice this week to get to see them all and play a few practice rounds with some of my buddies. Yeah, it will be a great week.

Q. Dustin, what are you looking forward to at the champions dinner tomorrow night?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Eat some good food and some good wine usually.

Q. How special is that night for you?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: It's special just to be a part of it. It's something that you're a part of forever. It's a special evening.

Excited for Scottie obviously to enjoy it. I think it's going to be a great evening. It always is.

Q. You didn't have a full year to enjoy yours.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: That's okay. I don't mind. I'll take it any time.

Q. Do you have any advice on Scottie what he should do this week to acclimate?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: It's still a golf tournament. You've just got to treat it like any other Masters, what you normally do, and just stick to that and try to enjoy it.

Q. How many guys do you think are going to wear their team shirts?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Whoever wears them. Yeah, I mean, I'm just going to wear the Aces.

Q. Do you know who you're going to practice with tomorrow and Wednesday?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I do not, not yet.

Q. You mentioned these guys that you know so well that you're used to seeing every single week. When you're able to reunite now, is there any talk about that stuff? Are you ribbing each other? Just catching up?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it's nice to see them and hang out with them. I hadn't seen them as much as I usually do.

Most of the guys I get to see because they all -- I mean, everybody lives in Jupiter. I see most of them a good bit. So just the guys that don't live down there.

Q. Dustin, you've been playing with Kis forever. Good to get out with him and play today?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: It's always nice. I grew up playing with Kis. We've known each other for a long time. It's always great to come out here. Usually each year we play one practice round together. We're playing Wednesday too in the par-3.

Q. Remember the first time you played with Kis?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: We were little. I don't remember how -- we grew up only a half hour from each other. Played a lot of junior golf together. How old were we? That's a long time ago. My memory ain't that great.

Q. Did you see Brooks' win yesterday?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I did. It was a nice win. He played well. He played well all three days. I struggled a little bit the second day, just didn't put very well.

Yeah, he played good. It was a good win.

Q. You spent a lot of time on the greens. Talk about the difference between (indiscernible) and Augusta?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: There's no comparison. Obviously coming off an event last week, which is nice to be able to play so the game's in pretty good form. So I'm really looking forward to this week. Obviously for me, I spent a lot of time around the greens just getting used to the speed.

But came out -- I was here Thursday, Friday the week before. So I got a couple rounds in.

Q. So the Crooked Cat is not Augusta?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don't think you could have those in the same sentence, other than I played there last week and I'm playing here this week.

Q. Did you play (indiscernible)?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I did. When I played, it was overseeded, and it was in early December, I think. So it's a completely different golf course. It played softer. It played a lot longer. So it was completely different. And it was a lot greener.