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BUICK OPEN

July 28, 2005

Zach Johnson

GRAND BLANC, MICHIGAN

JOEL SCHUCHMANN: A lot of low scores, just talk about the conditions, players were talking about how low scores could be because of the soft conditions and nobody is really going crazy out there.

ZACH JOHNSON: I don't know, one of the characteristics of this place probably. But the ball could be one factor; and the fairway, you're not getting a whole lot of roll, so that can definitely influence your approach shots. And characteristically we're used to hitting wedges, 9 and 8 irons into the greens and we're hitting five, six and sevens as a result. That being said, still pretty conducive to low scores. The greens are great. I don't know, just a lot of golf there could be some good numbers today I think.

Q. How does the bogey at 18 sour the round for you? And when you're done with that, I want to talk a little bit about the Presidents Cup and where you stand in regards to that.

ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, it's obviously a bit sour, especially a 3 putt. My mind frame, I'll try to more or less think about the positives. There was a lot of positives today, even considering the bogey. I left a lot out there I think. I drove it well. I putted for the most part good. Just a couple here, a couple there, I think it could have been even better. All in all it was a good round.

Q. What about the Presidents Cup? I think you're 15th on the list. How important is that and how aware of you of where you stand?

ZACH JOHNSON: I keep an eye on it. I don't know specific numbers but I know relatively close to where I'm at. I don't want to get too caught up in that because I just want to let my game do the talking when it comes to trying to make the Top 10 or whatever. It's a huge goal of mine. It was at the beginning of the year. You know, it's still foremost in my game, but when it comes to the first tee, I try to throw it away and just forget about it and go about my business.

I was not going to play this week, but I decided to play this week. I'm going to take next week off. It may not look like I'm trying to make it, but at the same time, I don't want to get burned out and I want to go into the PGA fresh and ready. I've never taken a week off before a major, so that's going to be my routine this time.

Q. What's your reason for playing here this week, has it got to do with the Presidents Cup?

ZACH JOHNSON: If I would not have played this week, I probably would have played next week. I took Milwaukee off after the British, and just my schedule, it fits better. I like The INTERNATIONAL; I think it's a really fun event. Obviously it's gorgeous out there. However, different scoring system, altitude and then a big tournament after that, not exactly how I think it's best for me, just to kind of go back and work with my instructor and get up to New Jersey early. I've never had the week off before a major. I really haven't had time to prepare on a major golf course, so that's going to become my approach going into it.

Q. Is that a little shift in thinking on your part, that you're going to start thinking about taking the week off before majors?

ZACH JOHNSON: You know, I have not really performed very well in majors overall. I don't know how many cuts or missed cuts or made cuts I've had.

I just feel like, you know, the golf course is they are majors for a reason. The golf courses are a little more demanding and you know maybe a little experience obviously helps, but a little more time and preparation can be handy. You know, I don't know, I've not tried it this way. I've never done it. I'm going to play four in a row starting with the PGA and just see where that takes me. I think if I can play well here and play well at the PGA, you know, see where the chips fall and who knows about Presidents Cup, who knows about NEC. We'll see.

Q. What your reflections on your St. Andrews experience?

ZACH JOHNSON: I'd give it an A to an A plus probably. Outside of my I shouldn't say that. I didn't make the cut. I had one bad hole and made a 9 on 17. Quite frankly, I played pretty good. I didn't score well. I executed great. Just didn't score.

Q. Do you like the food?

ZACH JOHNSON: Well, we got lucky. We stayed at a nice resort and it was actually pretty good. I'd say, I'd give it an A, only because I really, really enjoy that golf. It requires a lot of thought, a lot of creativity, and it's just different from everything we have here.

The other thing I appreciate about it is I think it really magnifies your weaknesses really quick. They say you have to hit it low, and frankly, probably nice to hit it a little lower than high for sure, but at times you've got to hit it high. You've got to hit it left to right, right to left, and it just it's just fun. It's just different.

Q. Was missing the cut there one of the things that suggested to you that maybe you might start taking off weeks before majors?

ZACH JOHNSON: That was maybe part of it. I mean, I couldn't I can't take the John Deere off; I won't, at least for right now.

Yeah, it was the majors, too, I think. I got down to Pinehurst the Tuesday before, or late Monday night. And then Augusta, I played the BellSouth and we finished on Monday. I'd like to get there on Saturday and really prepare on the golf course, play nine holes and take three, three and a half hours and play nine holes, you know, something like that. I just think that that could be beneficial. I don't know, I'm hoping, and we'll see.

End of FastScripts.

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