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PGA Tour Professional Zach Johnson speaks to the media following round one of the Sony Open in Hawaii about his presidents cup experience and memories with the late Pete Dye

PGA Tour: Zach Johnson following Sony Open in Hawaii Round one

Q. Zach, nice playing out there in really tough conditions. Remember anything like that?
ZACH JOHNSON: Not here. I mean, we’ve all probably experienced wind like this at some point, but it’s rare. I’ve not experienced it here. I mean, in Maui that one year, but we didn’t play. It was actually more intense than this.

I think we started the first round on Monday if I’m not mistaken, so obviously it can low on the here in the Pacific.

Q. What was the key to your round out there today?
ZACH JOHNSON: I mean, I got off to a great start. I mean, I hit some shots really close. Missed one — two putts that were close, but I got off to a great start.

I birdied first three out of four holes. I had a really bone head mistake on 15. Made double there. Other than that, it was just really, really solid. I mean, I gave myself opportunities, and when I was in kind of is difficult predicament, whether it was a 2-putt or an up and down, I was managing to make some of these 3- to 6-footers.

Full Leaderboard Sony Open in Hawaii 2020

Q. Obviously the Presidents Cup occupied a lot of your time kind of in the down time.
ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah.

Q. What did you do to prepare to come here? I know you’re a winner here, but why do you keep coming back?
ZACH JOHNSON: Well, the first part of that question, I mean, yeah, I didn’t get a whole lot of practice the first part of December, but that’s okay. I was working. I was wearing another hat, if you will.

But, I mean, at the same time, there was motivation and inspiration involved there watching those guys, especially on the weekend rally the way they did. And even closing out some of those matches on Thursday and Friday was impressive, too. So, yeah, like I said, there was some inspiring golf. And, yeah, I worked after that. I worked pretty hard. I was anxious to get back and start practicing again.

It’s not hard to be here. It’s hard to get here, but not hard to be here. I mean, I love it. This is one-of-a-kind. We get great fan support here. Obviously Sony does a tremendous job. I thoroughly, thoroughly like the golf course. I think it’s a classic. When there is no wind it’s very gettable, but there is never no wind.

If it’s firm and fast with wind, it’s very, very difficult. When it’s blowing 25, 35 with gusts over 40, doesn’t matter what the golf course, it’s just hard.

So it’s one of those cliches, they don’t make them like they used to.

Q. You mentioned the inspiration being there, part of the Presidents Cup team as one of the captain’s assistants. How does that motivate you?
ZACH JOHNSON: Well, it’s one of those things. As a competitor, I mean, if you’re a part of those teams it’s an honor, right? When you’re a part of those teams and not playing, it can’t be anything but.

I mean, some of those are my dearest friends as well. Granted, they’re my peers and we’re trying to beat each other’s brains in week in and week out, but I respect them and certainly admire them.

Again, it’s motivating. Knowing what some of those guys have done and are going to continue to do makes you want to work, makes you want to practice.

And when you’re led by Tiger Woods, who has obviously been my peer forever, I mean, we’re essentially the same age, if you don’t find inspiration and motivation then you’re probably looking through the wrong lens.

Q. Congrats on your part in that whole process.
ZACH JOHNSON: I’m good at making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, that’s about it. (Laughter.) Yeah.

Zach Johnson on the late Pete Dye

Q. I don’t know if that’s it. Kind of an off-the-subject question, but Pete Dye just passed away. Didn’t know if you knew him at all.
ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, I was fortunate enough to play with him at Hilton Head, one of his gems, in the Pro-Am. It was me and Mr. Dye, Mr. Finchem, and I believe there was another executive of the tour, muckety-muck of some sort. I can’t remember who it was, but it doesn’t really matter.

I believe he shot 78 that day, 79 in the Pro-Am. That was within the last ten years, 12 years for sure. Just hearing the stories, you know, what he did with this hole. I mean, I remember one in particular that stands out, but it was awesome. It was just fantastic to see I guess you would say a golf artist on his canvas he made. Very special.

Condolences to his family obviously. He’s a legend.

Q. His influence, his courses are largely unmistakable, aren’t they?
ZACH JOHNSON: Yeah, there’s fingerprints, and if Pete Dye doesn’t have one of the biggest certainly in the last 50 years, I don’t know who would rival that. He’s not much of a technology guy. I guess he’s pen and paper or whatever. Might be embellishing that a little bit, but he’s kind of an eyeball, pen and paper, move a little bit of land here, push that there, but he uses what’s given to him. I guess you would say he’s a naturalist in that regard, which is pretty special.

Q. So it’s not as if he just simply went out and took a bulldozer…
ZACH JOHNSON: Exactly. Yeah, I’ve two great stories. The superintendent that I grew up who is one of my dearest friends, he left and went from Cedar Rapids back to Des Moines where he came from, and was at Des Moines Golf, so he got to walk around 36 holes of golf with Pete Dye at Des Moines Golf. 36 holes in one day. Flew him in, flew him out, so he could go back home and have dinner with his wife. (Wind interference.)

Another story was 13 at Hilton Head, which is that awesome into the front green with the railroad ties. It’s the only railroad ties in the entire golf course they have not had to touch because she put(indiscernible – wind.) He thought that was crazy and he was looking at the expenditure.

It was the only hole she did because of time constraints. He’s like, Yeah, probably should’ve listened to her from Day One. The only railroad ties that have not been touched according to him.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
ZACH JOHNSON: Correct.

Q. When the pace of play thing comes out next week, players going to feel good about it? Do you feel good about it?
ZACH JOHNSON: I think there is a lot — I don’t want to say unknown — but there is a lot of education needed probably. I mean, I’ve read the e-mails. I love it. We’re proactive. That’s the first thing.

To be perfectly honest with you, the policy that’s in place has not changed and it will not change, but there is kind of like a tangent arm to that that’s going to help facilitate and I think try to make the game a little bit quicker. That’s about all I can give you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Honolulu, Hawaii

January 9, 2020

PGA Tour Professional Matt Kuchar speaks with the media on the tough conditions at this week’s Sony Open in Hawaii and additionally speaks on the legacy of the late golf course architect Pete Dye.

Kuchar on windy conditions at the Sony Open in Hawaii

Q. Matt, I know there was some wind last week, but you played here for a long time. Have you seen some wind around here like this?
MATT KUCHAR: It was hard work out there. This I don’t recall in a long time. Funny, I was looking at last year’s book, and the first hole the most I had to the front of the green was like 135 yards all week.

I had about 170 today. It was straight downwind. Amazing how different from last year. This year, it’s crazy windy but really soft, and so we’re seeing still few guys under par.

What a challenge. This wind is blowing as hard as I recall it blowing.

Q. What was the most difficult aspect of the game for you today with the conditions?
MATT KUCHAR: Handful of those holes was some crosswinds. Some of these fairways you’re playing in doglegs and you got wind blowing either hard left to right or hard right to left, and, boy, those get challenging. Thankfully softer fairways at least get the ball in and it’s pretty much standing over the putt.

Still, you see the ball turn sideways out here and those are tricky.

Q. Find some difficulty on the greens with some of the crosswind putts?
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah, anything you leave yourself — you don’t want to (indiscernible). With this much wind, wind has a big time affect on what happens with the roll of the ball, and just your steadiness over the ball.

You watch that putter go back and sometimes that wind starts shaking it. It’s a scary proposition.

Thankfully I didn’t leave myself too many four or five footers.

Full Leaderboard Sony Open in Hawaii 2020

Matt Kuchar on Pete Dye

Q. A loss today in the golf world.
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah, sorry to hear that. What a legend out here. I mean, he’s left quite a mark on our game and quit a great impression from what he’s done. I’ve been fortunate and had some success at Pete Dye courses, Hilton Head and PLAYERS Championship, couple of my favorite golf courses we play all year. So he’s left quite a mark.

And one of the cool things about golf course architecture is you really do leave a lasting mark. His courses are going to be around. Both Hilton Head and PLAYERS have stood the test of time and they’ll continue to stand the test of time.

It’s an awesome thing that he’s left for us.

Q. It’s probably pretty iconic, his design, right? Like you said, everything is unique and you can tell a Pete Dye.
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah, you sure can. You sure can. I’ve had some good fun. They tend to be challenging, hard courses, but I’ve had some nice results and some good feelings towards Pete Dye golf courses.

Q. And today, mate, you obviously started pretty well given the conditions.
MATT KUCHAR: Yeah, boy, hard work. I’m happy to be done, scorecard in. It’s challenging out there. There are so many holes with these crosswind tee shots that you’re hitting into doglegs, and trying to find the fairways is hard work.

And then standing over putts just it’s hard. You feel yourself get blown around. You know the ball is going to get blown around once you hit it. Everything about out here is challenging, minus the soft conditions. The soft conditions helped I think immensely with the scores.

I think if we had conditions like last year as far as firmness goes, it would hard to hit half the greens. But with the greens as soft as they are, the fairways as soft as they are, I think you’re seeing some guys with still some good scores due to the softness.

Q. With the conditions in particular, were there any holes that were just maybe different than what you were used to the way it was playing today?
MATT KUCHAR: Well, I got notes from last year, and I was just looking the 1st hole. 1st hole plays nearly straight downwind today. I mean, it’s blowing 25 miles an hour. I had kind of 165 to the front.

I don’t think last year — and then all the wind I’ve got, at most I had it blowing was five miles an hour. Most I had to the front of one was 135. So it’s a 30-yard difference, and the wind is helping 20 miles an hour more amount of help.

It was just that much firmer and faster the ball rolling a ton last year. So it was interesting. I figure there is no way I would have further — I would be further away on the 1st hole because it just was nearly straight downwind.

It was 30 yards back from where I was all week last year.

Q. Oh, wow. Coming down the stretch, it looked like you had three or four putts the last few holes that could’ve made it close to going in.
MATT KUCHAR: I think everybody has those. One of those things with golf. Made a couple on the front side. I had a couple nice putts go in on the front. Anything outside of five feet and even outside of three feet is tricky.

Had a couple looks at it, but we all do. We all do.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

Honolulu, Hawaii

January 9, 2020