This comes from the Monday, the Dustin Johnson press conference at the U.S. Open from Oakmont in Pennsylvania. Johnson previously won the U.S. Open on Oakmont in 2016.
Consistently one of the top players in the world when he was with the PGA Tour, but he hasn’t played well recently with the LIV Tour. Johnson talks about winning at Oakmont before, as well as whether he thinks he’s in a slump.
The transcript was edited by ACES editor Dennis Miller.
Photo copyright: USGA/Fred Vuich
THE MODERATOR: Please welcome our 2016 champion Dustin Johnson. How does it feel being back at Oakmont?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: It feels really good. The course is just as hard as I remember, if not harder. Yeah, I like coming back here. I love the golf course.
The first time I played it, probably two weeks prior to the 2016 open, so obviously a lot of good memories from that year. Coming back, I was back here one other time when I got my honorary membership here, for that ceremony, which was really nice. Proud member of Oakmont. I’m probably their favorite member because I never come.
Yeah, it’s really nice to be back.
Question: What was your routine this week? Have you played the golf course yet?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I played the front nine. Got to see some of the small changes on the front. Played it this morning and then practiced a little bit.
Question: You only got through the front, I know, but what did you think of the new tee on 3? Did you see the ditch crossing No. 10 too? Just curious about some of your thoughts, what you did see. And the range too, what you thought of that.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Range is really nice. I didn’t see 10 — I wasn’t really paying attention when I was going up 9. The new tee on 3, obviously it was a tough hole before, but now it makes it a little bit harder.
It’s like every hole out here, you’ve just got to find a way to hit the fairway.
Questions: Obviously you won the U.S. Open here on a very wet week. How do the conditions right now compare to what you had that year?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: They’re really similar. It’s soft, which makes the fairways a little bit easier to hit and the greens a little bit easier to hold, but it plays longer, so you have longer clubs in.
The conditions right now are similar. Hopefully it will be dry — we won’t get any more rain, and it will dry out a little bit by Thursday.
Question: What do you consider the hardest course you’ve ever played?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Probably this one.
Question: Is there a runner-up?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don’t know. I haven’t played one — I don’t know. It’s hard to compare. I’ve played some hard courses, but it all depends on the conditions. This one’s hard no matter what — soft, firm, windy, no wind.
Question: My second question, if it’s that hard, how did you shoot 4-under last time? Or 5-under, take your pick.
DUSTIN JOHNSON: 5-under. (Laughter.)
I drove it really straight. I hit a lot of fairways. That was the only reason I shot that well.
I don’t know, it seems like it’s tougher this time around, but that’s just maybe with the little bit of added length. It’s going to make it a little more difficult.
But yeah, somehow I figured out a way to get it under par. It was mostly the driving. Obviously even driving it in the fairway here, it’s still really difficult, but I hit a lot of good drives and a lot of good iron shots.
Question: Curious if it was meaningful to have a decent finish in Washington coming here, or did it really matter? What has your game been like the last few weeks?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: I feel like my game’s been really close. I haven’t really got a lot out of it. So, it was definitely nice to have a nice finish last week. I played good every day. I didn’t — you know, still kind of giving away some shots. I need to clean that up a little bit.
But played really solid every day, hit it nice, gave myself a lot of opportunities. Just still kind of gave some shots away each round that you can’t afford to do at a golf course like this.
It was nice to finally see the game progress a little bit. I know my score didn’t reflect it at the PGA, but I actually played way better than the score. I just struggled a little bit on the greens. Well, maybe that’s an understatement. I struggled really bad on the greens.
Questions: If the scoring is not reflecting how you’re playing, would that then just equate to not putting as well as you want?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, that and just cleaning up some — just making some mistakes that you shouldn’t make, whether short game or putting. The game is definitely in a lot better shape than it was a few months ago.
Question: Have you felt that your game has slipped at all the last couple years? If it hasn’t, is it just a fine line here between what you were accomplishing and maybe some frustrations at the majors?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Golf is a strange sport. I don’t feel like I’ve slipped any. My scores haven’t reflected, but it is a really fine line.
I remember a few years ago, I missed two cuts in a row. I think I shot 80-80, and then I won the next week. For me it’s always really close to being good, but just getting back there and keeping it consistent which over the last couple months I’m starting to see a lot of patterns and the game feels like it’s coming back into good form.
Question: At the Masters, I think you were going to make the cut. You had a bad last hole. How frustrating was that?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Last two holes, bogey, double, to miss it by a shot, I think.
Question: After switching tours, when you only get four opportunities to get back out here, does it put any more pressure on you for you going against the top guys or feeling like this is your opportunity?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, not really. It’s still a major. It’s still the same amount of pressure no matter where you’re playing. Yeah, it’s a championship. I’m looking forward to playing in it this week and hopefully can contend.
Question: You mentioned that you’ve been close. Can being back at a place where you’ve won give you some type of edge or confidence?
DUSTIN JOHNSON: Good memories here. Obviously, it was a long time ago. I have confidence in this golf course because I know I played well, but obviously this week puts a lot of pressure on the driver. I feel like I’m driving the ball really good right now.
Even from there, though, it doesn’t get much easier. You definitely have to hit it in the fairway if you want a chance to win around here.