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PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

August 15, 2010

Dustin Johnson

KOHLER, WISCONSIN

Q. Down here in the locker room with Dustin, and I've got to tell you, I watched you all day, you played so beautifully, you were so patient, for something like this to happen has to be the most extraordinary feeling. How can you describe it?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don't know if I can describe it. You know, walking up there, seeing the shot, it never once crossed my mind that I was in a sand trap. I guess it's very unfortunate. I guess the only worse thing that could have happened is if I made that putt on the last hole. I never once thought that I was in a sand trap.

Q. Well, you're a good man for coming out of the shower and talking to me. Did you have any doubts at all that it was a bunker? I walked up there and took a look at the line and thought, wow, he's got lucky, it's a flat lie, no lip to speak of, no nothing, it just looks like a flat piece of sand that's been worn out.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I just thought I was on a piece of dirt that the crowd had trampled down. I never thought I was in a sand trap. It never once crossed my mind that I was in a bunker. Obviously I know the Rules of Golf, and I can't ground my club in a bunker, but that was just one situation I guess. Maybe I should have looked to the rule sheet a little harder.

Q. Even if you had looked at the rule sheet, I'm not sure that you would have made any other decision. What do the officials say to you in the scoring area?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Pretty much he said that any piece of sand on the whole golf course is a bunker.

Q. Do you think that's a good ruling? Is it the ruling they had to make?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don't know, if it was up to me, I wouldn't have thought I was in the bunker but it's not up to me, it's up to the Rules Committee, so got to deal with it.
As soon as he came up and said something to me, that I grounded my club, but I never thought I was in a bunker.

Q. Walking off the 18th green, a guy comes up to you and putts his arm on you and says, not so fast?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Dustin, come here, we've got an issue. He said, "I think you grounded your club in the bunker."
I said, "What bunker?"
But then you know we looked on the TV and I definitely grounded my club, which, I mean, I never denied.

Q. Talk about the range of emotions, putting yourself in position and to hear that news?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: There's a lot going on. Obviously I was excited I had a putt to win, or thinking I had a putt to win, and then walking off the green and talking to the rules official, saying that I've got a two-shot penalty, I think I'm going into a playoff and have a two-shot penalty.

Q. Earlier in the week, were you in a similar situation off the fairway in a sandy lie like that, where you checked or thought you might be in a bunker?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, nothing.

Q. Did you backed away once, did you ground the club once?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, there was a shadow, somebody had a shadow on my ball, so it was moving. That's the only reason I backed off.

Q. Were you aware all week that even waste areas were considered bunkers here? Should have read the sheet?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I guess, I asked Nick, I said, "Did you know that"? He didn't know that, either.
You know, I only look at it if I have a reason to, and I didn't see I had a reason to.

Q. Do you walk away taking something out of your play, rather than walk away with --
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, you know, I hit some really good shots coming down the stretch, made some birdies to get a one-shot lead going into 18. Other than the unfortunate incident on 18, I played really well all day. I'm definitely happy with my play.

Q. Do you feel like something was stolen here?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Maybe a little bit. But, you know, that's how it goes.

End of FastScripts

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