What they said: Zach Johnson

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MORE INTERVIEWS: Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial transcript archive

JOHN BUSH: We would like to welcome our 2010 champion of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, Zach Johnson, into the interview room.

Zach, just a phenomenal performance by you all four rounds and a tremendous 6 under par 64 today.

If we could get your comments on a great round and a great week.

ZACH JOHNSON: Well, first of all, thank you. Yes, it was, I felt good coming into the week.

Looking back on recent history, I played San Antonio. I shot 80 the first round, which was probably one of the better things that could have happened to me, because I kind of re evaluated some things mentally.

Fortunately, I adjusted pretty quick, went out there and shot 4 under the next day with no bogeys and just felt really good. So I missed the cut, went home, had a good off week.

I came into this week in good spirits. No pressure, nothing to lose sort of spirit and fortunately it went my way.

Thursday was probably one of the better days I had ball striking for the year. I think I missed a green in regulation. I'm just kind of loving the week. And today my putter got obviously hot specifically on the back 9. I'm very humble.

JOHN BUSH: Zach collects 500 FedExCup points and moves all the way up to 14th on the list. Zach, I know by your standards it's been a fairly slow start to the year. Talk about what this victory does for you.

ZACH JOHNSON: Yes, well, slow just based on my finishes. But I feel like I'm a better player now than I was last year. A better player now than I was certainly two or three years ago, whatever.

I was trying to force things for a period there. I was too concerned about Sunday on Thursday just because I felt my game was in good condition. I felt like I should be able to contend and win, and rather than letting it happen.

I'm certainly okay with any outcome, missed the cut, make the cut, Top 10 win what have you, but I just wasn't putting that into play and I think, you know, certainly with some help from my sports psychologist Dr. Mo Pickens, just reaffirming that I'm doing the right things and my coaches and my trainers reaffirm me that I'm doing the right things, and I haven't deviated.

My foundation and my system remains the same. Obviously it works sometimes.

JOHN BUSH: We'll go into questions?

Q. Zach, when you made the putt on 17, obviously you were pretty excited at that point, talk about the emotions of it because I know you felt that was a clinching putt then you had to sit and wait for 30 something minutes before playing again?

ZACH JOHNSON: Yes, I didn't think it was a clinching putt. There is frustration having to go in and out, there is no question about that. We are used to it. We are going to be a part of it again; probably a good chance next week. It's just part of the game.

As far as momentum and just a big putt, that was a big one. I didn't have a number in my head, but I figure if you get to 21, you got a pretty good chance.

Quite frankly, the biggest one I thought, you know, was probably on 15 because we had a good hour delay there. I had a pretty difficult lie. I made a good 20 plus footer there. I don't know what it was. That one kept me, rather than excited, it calmed me down which was nice.

Q. Zach, just about your putting in general today, I mean in clutch time you really came through with several 20 footers and 25 footers, just talk about that.

ZACH JOHNSON: I don't know if it all evens out in the end, but I feel like the way I've struck the ball the first three days, it kind of evened out. I was in here yesterday, and John mentioned I think yesterday I had 28 or 29 putts. But the previous two days I had 30 and 31, or 31 and 32, and I was 9 under par.

I was kind of due to make some putts as well as I was hitting it and the opportunities I gave myself. I just remained patient.

Going in the back 9 I had some opportunities up front. But going in that the back 9, my mind frame was, I don't care if I win this golf tournament, or I don't care if I lose it. I'm content with whatever happens. I'm going to go out fighting, and I'm going to go out aggressive. Outside of missing a few fairways I played pretty solid on the back 9.

Q. Zach, when you went in with the first delay, you were in a tough spot on 15. Talk about whatever you did there, you came back out and kind of sealed the deal between that and the next delay, what took place in your mind and subsequently on the course?

ZACH JOHNSON: Well, yes, during the delay, the only thing that was going through my head, I was excited because I think I was tied for the lead at the time. I made bogey on 14 or whatever. But, you know, I told myself, you know, obviously you got to calm down.

But the one thing I wanted mentally to fixate on was the things that I could control. Those things that I could control certainly are my rhythm, my tempo, how I walk and my routines.

And, you know, good or bad, the outcome was insignificant. That was my approach during both delays certainly. But especially the first one. I hit some good practice shots on the range, and I went out there and executed pretty nice.

Q. Can you talk about being paired with Ben today, because on 18 he was acting like almost that he had won?

ZACH JOHNSON: Yes and no. That's Ben. Ben is an excitable guy. He is a very charismatic type guy, high energy guy. We've been good friends for years. Our families are good friends. We are both Christians, so we had a lot in common. Walking with him today on Colonial on Sunday was great. It was an honor because we're so close. I pray for him and he prayed for me. I'm not saying that's why we play well, but we pray for peace and contentment. I think there is a lot of truth to that. I love that guy.

Q. Obviously, you've got a green jacket now but talk about having a plaid jacket and just adding to the collection there?

ZACH JOHNSON: The green one was humbling, probably a little bit more surreal. I used that word a lot back then in '07, because it still is. This one is very humbling and, you know, just knowing the gentlemen that have dawned this jacket and will dawn this jacket and putting myself in that company is very humbling.

JOHN BUSH: Three wins in Texas and 3 in Georgia.

ZACH JOHNSON: I moved to Georgia. I'm not moving to Texas, I don't think. I wouldn't mind it, but she wouldn't like it. We just moved about a year and a half ago. I don't think she wants to move any time soon. I love being here. Certainly the golf courses were part of it, but the people have always been kind. I tend to schedule around food and I love the food here. I'm all about it.

Q. Talk about holding the scoring record here at Colonial at 22 under. Did you ever think that could have been done?

ZACH JOHNSON: I wasn't aware of it until someone mentioned it on 18 green. Yes, records are made to be broken, the old cliche. I'm a little shocked that I did it. But at the same time given the conditions, I don't think we're going to see four days like this, probably not again this year. But probably never again here. Even on Tuesday there was no wind. There was maybe a half club wind the entire week. I doubt there was a full club of wind.

When the greens are receptive, and the heat comes in, I don't know if it's the heat that brings in the wind, I don't know what it is, but the greens have to stay saturated otherwise they're going to die, so they have to keep them hydrated. You can be aggressive with your shots and certainly with your putts. It's all relative.

If there was some wind today, or this past week, it wouldn't have been 21 under. Obviously, scores are really, really low and the guys that were just behind me had an opportunity to go 21 or even more. I just fortunately got to right side of the draw.

JOHN BUSH: Let's go through the card. Birdie on No. 1

ZACH JOHNSON: I hit a good drive on 1. Actually probably the best drive I hit today. I had a perfect number. It was a stock 5 wood in there, and I dead pulled it. It was a terrible golf swing. Got ahead of myself there, kicked left, richocheted left, went onto the cart path between 1 and 2. I took a drop behind the cart path, and then my goal there was to try to get it within 15 or 20 feet.

I hit it perfect, but I kind of pushed it just a little bit and it went up there and lipped out I guess. I probably made a five footer for birdie. That got the momentum going.

Another good birdie on 2, great drive, great second shot, four feet, made that.

10, I hit a 3 iron off the tee just because my 5 wood, I didn't know if it was going to go too far, I hit a 3 iron. I hit it a little further than I wanted to. I hit a punch 7 iron in there to about ten feet, right center, pretty straight putt and that kind of got me going.

12, hit a poor drive again in the right rough. I had 145 to the front, 160 something to the hole. I had an 8 iron out. It was not a good lie. I'm like, I can't hit this thing 145 yards. So I went back to a 7 and just swung as hard as I could, chopped down on it, landed on the front of the green 22 feet maybe, I don't know, dead center.

13, I had a great number, probably 180 to the hole. My 6 iron has been flying 185, 190. I figured if I hit it behind the hole, I'm taking the water out of play. I hit a nice solid shot, 22 feet, 25 feet maybe. I don't even know. That was just one of those putts. I'm just trying to get it going and it dropped.

14, poor drive down the right again. I didn't hit that bad of a second shot, it kind of jumped right and into the trap. Hit a great sand shot, long sand shot to probably five feet, which is all I can ask for. I was trying to get within ten feet or so.

That was a bad putt I hit there. I was a little indecisive with the read and I pulled it and it lipped out.

15, I hit a drive to the right again, punched a 7 iron into the wind from 165 and made a 20 footer.

17, hit a 4 iron because the ball is going so far there, yesterday at least. It was perfect, I had 140 to the hole, a little bit downwind, hit a normal wedge to 12, 15 feet and made it.

JOHN BUSH: Questions?

Q. Drawing the pairing with Ben how much does that help on a pressurized Sunday like that? Does it help to calm you?

ZACH JOHNSON: It's nice. It's comforting just because I know what he's all about and I know how he approaches his game. Does it matter in the end? Probably not.

I did play with a good buddy of mine Vaughn Taylor at Augusta on Sunday in '07. I feel like my caddy, who is also one of my really good friends, Damon Green, I'm playing with my friend every day.

I'm just lucky to have him. I should have mentioned him on the green. I feel bad because he's worked so hard. We had some ups and downs. He is a stud. He's a stallion.

JOHN BUSH: Zach, congratulations once again.