The long wait is officially over. U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III rounded out his 12-man roster headed to the 39th Ryder Cup at Medinah with the selection of Dustin Johnson, Jim Furyk, Brandt Snedeker and Steve Stricker as his four captain’s picks.

Published: Wednesday, September 05, 2012 | 12:29 p.m.

NEW YORK (AP) – Brandt Snedeker had nothing more than big hopes and another strong finish when he left the TPC Boston, expecting to wait deep into the night for a phone call from Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III that would determine if he was on the U.S. team.

“I had no clue one way or another,” Snedeker said Tuesday. “Got on the plane, got here to Indianapolis and got a voicemail from Davis just asking if I brought my putter from Boston and if I wanted to be on the team. I was just so excited. Couldn’t hardly sleep last night. Just a huge, huge thing for my career.”

Snedeker was among four players whom Love selected to fill out his 12-man Ryder Cup team. The captain also took a pair of veterans, Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker, and Dustin Johnson, who showed the hottest hand over the last two weeks and who Love said was “perfect for Medinah.”

The Ryder Cup is Sept. 28-30 at Medinah, which has hosted the PGA Championship twice since 1999 and is known as a power golf course. Tiger Woods won two majors there.

More than power, however, Love emphasized putting.

Stricker is regarded as one of the best in the game, and Snedeker is not far behind, as he showed at the British Open and during his charge up the leaderboard the last two weeks at Bethpage Black and the TPC Boston.

“I’ve been saying a lot that we need hot putters, and there really has not been a hotter putter on tour since the British Open,” Love said, referring to Snedeker, one of four Ryder Cup rookies for the U.S.

There was just as much talk about who didn’t make the team.

Hunter Mahan, whose two PGA Tour wins this year included the Match Play Championship when he beat Rory McIlroy, was leading the Ryder Cup standings after the Masters and still didn’t qualify for the eight automatic spots. He had to rely on a pick after he missed the cut in the PGA Championship, and then he missed the cut at The Barclays and was in the middle of the pack at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Also left off was Rickie Fowler, who picked up his first PGA Tour win this year at Quail Hollow and turned in the most dynamic American performance at Wales two years ago when he won the last four holes to earn a halve that kept alive the American chances.

Love said all the players who didn’t make the team handled the news well.

“It was tough to leave anybody off,” he said. “This is probably the deepest, strongest year of earning points that I have seen. There was a lot of guys that played a lot of really good golf, and you can analyze the number up and down and back and forth. … There’s four great players that we picked that are all playing very well and bring a lot to the team. And it was definitely a tough call for me.”

Indeed, both teams are as stacked as ever.

The eight players who qualified three weeks ago for the U.S. team are Woods, Jason Dufner, Masters champion Bubba Watson, U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson, Keegan Bradley, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson. They have combined to win 12 times this year, including two majors and a World Golf Championship.

It’s a far cry from last time, when none of the picks by Corey Pavin was playing particularly well.

Never before has the Ryder Cup featured so many of the best players. All 24 players from both teams are among the top 36 in the world; the Ryder Cup will have 13 of the top 15 players.

“To have 24 players of the top 36 is mind-boggling,” Furyk said. “As Davis said, really happy with our team. It’s really strong, but we have our hands full. There’s a strong team on the other side, and we’ll have to play them real tough.”

Europe has won six of the last eight times, but only twice on American soil in the last 20 years.

If some of the picks were a surprise, Love sounded as though this was the group he wanted all along. He had dropped strong hints that Stricker and Furyk, who had qualified for the last 14 U.S. teams (Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup) would be on his side. Turns out he was leaning toward Snedeker and Johnson, too.

“I laid it out early on what I thought we needed, and we stuck with it,” Love said. “I need Jim Furyk. I need Steve Stricker. All of the guys on the team will benefit from those guys being in the team room, being in the locker room. And then you can’t argue with the golf that Brandt and Dustin have been playing.”

Love said his idea for how the team was coming together did not change much from Kiawah Island, the final qualifying event.

“Who we were thinking about didn’t really change much,” he said. “I think it just solidified with Brandt and Dustin, that they really played well under the pressure. They just confirmed what we were thinking. They held up under tough pressure. They played a lot of great golf since the PGA Championship. I think we were just delaying the inevitable, waiting until the last minute to study for the test. I think we were pretty close back at the PGA.”

Furyk is the only player on the U.S. team who has not won this year.

Snedeker and Johnson had a short season to qualify for the team. Snedeker had a rib injury that forced him to miss five tournaments he typically plays, including the U.S. Open. In his second event back, he tied the course record at Royal Lytham & St. Annes with a 64 to take the 36-hole lead, and wound up tied for third with Woods. After failing to make the team, Snedeker was runner-up at Bethpage Black and sixth at the TPC Boston.

“Needless to say, it’s been a couple pressure-packed weeks for me but it’s all worth it,” Snedeker said. “I look forward to getting to Medinah and trying to make Davis look like a genius.”

Johnson missed nearly three months in the spring, including the Masters. Two weeks after he returned, he won the St. Jude Classic, extending his streak of winning at least one PGA Tour event every season since leaving college. Not since Woods has a player had a streak that long. Johnson tied for third at The Barclays and tied for fourth with Mickelson last week at Boston.

“I thought I made my case pretty solid,” Johnson said.

Europe completed its team last week — McIlroy, Justin Rose, Graeme McDowell, Paul Lawrie, Francesco Molinari, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Peter Hanson, Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer. Jose Maria Olazabal used his two captain’s picks on Ian Poulter and Nicolas Colsaerts.

Europe will have only one rookie — Colsaerts, one of the game’s longest hitters.

“They’re going to be tough, they are every year,” Love said. “I’ll tell you this, I love my team.”

SAN FRANCISCO — As Dustin Johnson crushed drives from home plate over the right-field wall at AT&T Park and into San Francisco Bay, pitcher Matt Cain and manager Bruce Bochy glanced at each other before looking into the stands for approval from Giants general manager Brian Sabean.

Then, the San Francisco ace grabbed a club and smacked one of his own — splashing the ball into McCovey Cove 310 yards away. That was it considering he had to pitch against the Houston Astros three hours later. Cain dazzled with his swing with a 342-yard drive during the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am back in February, yet Sabean hollered that he would turn his head when the pitcher took his drive — and the GM did just that for a moment.

Sabean’s apprehension was understandable. In early April, Cain signed a $127.5 million, six-year contract, the largest deal for a right-handed pitcher in baseball history. But not only did Cain come out unscathed, he went on to throw the first perfect game in Giants’ franchise history in a 10-0 shutout of the Astros.

“What a game by Matt Cain!!! I think it was all started by my great first pitch!!! It was an un-hitable pitch!,” Johnson jokingly tweeted after the game, where he also threw out the first pitch, which bounced up to the plate.

”I knew he was a good golfer,” Johnson said about Cain. ”(Sabean) didn’t want him (to hit). He said he was going inside.”

Reliever Clay Hensley also hit drives from the tee on home plate, and former first baseman J.T. Snow nearly drilled a spotter with a low drive on his second attempt before adjusting his swing and hitting a couple of pretty drives. A few Astros who came outside to watch the fanfare were offered a chance but declined.

”That was pretty cool,” Johnson said ahead of his opening round at the U.S. Open on Thursday. ”This is the first time I’ve been to the stadium, gorgeous stadium. To hit drivers off of home plate is pretty fun, especially out into McCovey Cove. It’s probably the coolest place I’ve hit balls, maybe besides Augusta.”

Hensley took his first round of swings — ”Let’s get him his PGA Tour card!” hollered teammate Aubrey Huff — and later stepped in for a few more, drawing an ”Ooooh, wow!” from slugger Pablo Sandoval on a 292-yard shot. Hall of Famer Willie McCovey watched from nearby as balls splashed into his cove. Each drive was tracked for distance and speed on the main scoreboard in center field. Pitching coach Dave Righetti shot a video of the hitting show, saying, ”Let’s watch the rips,” as Hensley took his turn.

”Isn’t that amazing?” McCovey said, smiling. ”They used to do these kind of things in the minor leagues to draw crowds. It’s fun to get the golfers out. This is a big week in San Francisco with the U.S. Open, a lot going on.”

Johnson, the FedEx St. Jude Classic winner Sunday in Memphis, Tenn., in his second event following a back injury that sidelined him for nearly three months, threw out the ceremonial first pitch and hoped to outdo Rory McIlroy, who did so Tuesday ahead of the Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. Johnson bounced his fastball to stand-in catcher and relief pitcher Sergio Romo, drawing cheers from the crowd.

”I saw video. It was all right,” Johnson said about McIlroy’s pitch. ”It was over the plate. I’m going to go from the mound, I’ve got to. All my buddies said they were going to make fun of me if I stood in the grass.”

If he weren’t about to play a major, Johnson said he might consider jumping into the cage for some live batting practice.

Johnson typically takes the Wednesday before a major as an ”easy day,” so this relaxing outing to the ballpark took some of the edge off. He also has a late tee time Thursday.

”If it was a baseball, I’d be a little bit nervous but hitting a golf ball out here, I can handle that,” Johnson said. ”I can hit. If I wasn’t playing the U.S. Open tomorrow I’d probably do it. I played up until high school, so I haven’t swung a bat in a long time. I’ll hit in a batting cage every once in a while, but I’m not doing it before I go out and play golf tomorrow.”

Bochy opted against hitting a couple of drives.

”I was not going to put myself in a compromising position with my golf game,” he quipped.

Lifting the champion’s trophy at the FedEx St. Jude Classic on Seersucker Sunday was a lot easier for Dustin Johnson than trying to lift a jet ski several months ago.

Playing in only the second tournament since a back injury in March, the lanky Johnson broke out of a logjam of co-leaders with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 at TPC Southwind, and held on for a one-stroke victory over John Merrick.

In his first appearance at the FESJC, the power-hitting Johnson showed that his back is obviously back, and the exciting week of golf assured that the “Thwack is Back” theme for 2012 was more than just a slogan.

“Coming into this week, I was really just trying to put myself in position to have a chance to win on Sunday,” said Johnson, 27, who closed with a 4-under-par 66 for 271.

With near-perfect weather most of the week and large crowds, the 55th stop of the PGA TOUR in Memphis turned into a final-round shootout for the $1,008,000 paycheck from the $5.6 million purse and the stylish Seersucker jacket.

Johnson started the day one shot out of the lead in a group of six players that included Rory McIlroy, who is currently No. 2 in the Official World Golf Rankings.

After 54 holes, with three co-leaders, and 16 players within three shots off the lead, co-leader Davis Love III had said, “The best way to do it is shoot the low round of the day . . . and guarantee you’re going to win.”

Johnson’s final round wasn’t the lowest. Former Memphian John Daly enjoyed that distinction with a 64 – matching the low round of the week — but he started too far back and tied for 19th.

The takeover by Johnson came when he got up and down for birdie at the par-five No. 16, and followed by sinking a 9-foot birdie putt on the difficult par-four No. 17.

While he was steadily avoiding trouble, other contenders were finding too much of it.

The victory was Johnson’s sixth on TOUR – most by players currently in their 20s. Johnson has won at least one TOUR event in each of the last five seasons – second-longest active streak of consecutive seasons with a victory, behind only Phil Mickelson’s nine.

Johnson, who had knee surgery in the off-season, was playing in only his second event since mid-March, when he hurt his back. After returning to the TOUR in last week’s Memorial Tournament and tying for 19th, he was eager for another test in Memphis before next week’s U. S. Open in San Francisco.

The more he saw of Southwind, the better his scores got – 70-68-67-66.

“The people I’d talked to said (Southwind) was a good course, so there’s really no reason why I never played here other than just where it fell on the schedule,” Johnson said. He added emphatically, and with a smile, “But I will be back.”

Merrick finished with 68, and his bid for a chip-in birdie on the final hole to tie Johnson barely slipped past the hole. A double-bogey on the par-four 12th, where he found the water twice, was more than Merrick could overcome.

“I butchered that hole,” he said. “All week my attitude was great. I kind of plugged along and put my head down and just had to grind it out. Some days it’s all about guts and grinding it out and that’s it.”

Tied for third at 273 were Ryan Palmer (66), Chad Campbell (68), Nick O’Hern (69) and Love III (69).

The continued toughness of the Southwind course was evident. The 9-under-par winning total marked the third time since 2005 that the FESJC champ has not reached double-digits under par.

For much of the day, McIlroy had been leading or tied for the lead. The defending champion in next week’s U. S. Open was only a stroke back after making birdie at No. 17, but found the water off the tee on No. 18 and made double-bogey.

McIlroy finished with 69-274 and tied for seventh.

“I had a great chance to win this week, and it didn’t quite happen,” he said. “I’m a little disappointed with that, but I can take a lot of positives from this week into the U.S. Open next week.”

Before leaving, McIlroy, who was playing in Memphis for the second time, described the tournament as “fantastic.”

“What it does for the (St. Jude) children’s hospital is absolutely incredible,” he said. “I think the whole community comes and supports the tournament. It’s played on agreat golf course. I really enjoyed myself this week.”

Johnson obviously did, too. At a tournament auction earlier in the week for St. Jude where a painting of him was being offered, he opened the bidding at $10,000.

When someone bid $11,000, he quickly followed with $12,000 — and got the item.

“I was going to bid on it to get the price up,” he said. “It’s just one of thosethings. St. Jude does such good things, so I knew the money I spent on the painting wasgoing to a good cause. I was happy to do it.”

Written By Bobby Hall for StJudeClassic.com. Read Full Article.

Given the amount of inquiry I have received regarding Dustin Johnson’s pending caddy hire, I am pleased to share the news of his decision to bring back Bobby Brown for 2012.

As you know, Dustin and Bobby have a special bond, and have been through a lot together. One of the most important and underrated aspects of any player/caddy relationship is chemistry, which they have always shared. Overall, they were very successful together, and I have every reason to believe they will again be going forward. I think the past eight months has given them both a chance to realize how good they were together and reflect on their past.

Quote from Dustin:

“I am really excited to have Bobby back on the bag. He and I have always been tight and I appreciate his work ethic. At the end of the day, it’s about results, and four of my five wins came with Bobby at my side. We’re both expecting big things in 2012.”

Quote from Bobby:

“It’s not often a caddy gets a second chance with a player of Dustin’s caliber, but our friendship and mutual respect never changed. He’s a phenomenal talent and a great dude, so I’m honored to be back with him. I can’t wait to get out there and pick up where we left off!”

On another note, I am happy to report that Dustin’s recovery is going very well, and he remains hopeful of playing at Kapalua. I’m sure it will be a “game time decision,” but he remains optimistic.

Thank you for your continued interest in Dustin and I hope to see you all in Hawaii. In the meantime, happy holidays to you and your families!

EDISON, N.J. — Dustin Johnson was in a hurry. He had a plane to catch, and with Hurricane Irene bearing down on the area there was no time to wait. He answered one last question about his victory on Saturday at The Barclays, then he sprung out of his chair and flew out the door and into a waiting car, leaving the big crystal trophy in his wake. He’ll get it another time.

What a bizarre week: An earthquake and a hurricane slams the East Coast and the first event of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup is shortened to 54-holes (the right decision, by the way). Champion Dustin Johnson knows a little something about winning weather-shortened tournaments.

Was Johnson somehow motivated by 20-something Keegan Bradley winning the PGA Championship and suddenly being added to the “best young American player” conversation?

In a word, no.

“I don’t care,” Johnson said in what might have been the shortest winner’s press conference in the history of press conferences as Hurricane Irene raced toward New Jersey. “I play golf. I don’t really read the press too much. But it doesn’t really matter. I think I’m a pretty good young American player.”

Not to take anything away from the 25-year-old Bradley — after two wins, including a major championship, he’s in contention for the FedExCup (14th in the standings) and deservedly in the conversation for Player of the Year honors and potentially a captain’s pick for the Presidents Cup. But Johnson’s body of work goes deeper than that.

Johnson, who already has a couple of Playoffs wins in his career under his belt, has never won a major but he has finished in the top 10 in four of the last nine. He contended in two of those majors, and if not for his mental blunder at Whistling Straits would most certainly be viewed differently by the media and fans.

In other words, Johnson, 26 years old and atop the FedExCup standings after his victory at The Barclays, still may be the best American player under the age of 30.

Consider this: Johnson has the most victories — five — of any player on TOUR in his 20s, and he’s the first player since Tiger Woods to go directly from college and win in each of his first four years on TOUR. (Phil Mickelson is the only other player currently on TOUR to also have done that).

A big reason for Johnson’s accomplishments is not only his prodigious length off the tee — he’s third on TOUR in driving distance — but the fact that his ball-striking is arguably as good as any player out there.

“I don’t know if I’ve seen a guy drive the ball a whole lot better than Dustin Johnson,” said Matt Kuchar, who had a pretty good view of it from his runner-up finish to Johnson in the final group at The Barclays.

“If you could have any one attribute as a golfer, you would want to kind of drive it like Dustin Johnson. You would want to hit it that far and that accurate. From there, golf gets a whole lot easier.”

It’s been easy to overlook Johnson at times this year given that he didn’t win until nearly September and only contended in one major. But if he can continue to play well throughout the Playoffs, he might just end the year with a pretty big trophy of his own.

Bielefeld. Golf experts expect Dustin Johnson to have a great career. The 26-year-old American, who grew up in South Carolina and now lives in Florida, is a new Schüco brand ambassador. Starting immediately he will wear the logo of Schüco, the leading provider of Green Technology for the Blue Planet and Clean Energy from Solar and Windows, a company which is active in more than 75 countries. Finishing an outstanding fourth in the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea (April 28 – May 1), Johnson had an excellent debut as a Schüco brand ambassador.

As a Schüco brand ambassador, Dustin Johnson now belongs to a team of popular world-class golfers who tee off on climate protection around the world and will play in the Schüco Open 2011 in Düsseldorf. Visitors to the tournament will once again experience how Schüco and professional golf are a perfect match. In addition to having a connection to nature, for both Schüco and golf, technical perfection, the utmost precision, absolute perfection, and efficient usage of energy are decisive success factors.

Solar energy particularly important

“I’m looking forward to the new task. As someone who was born in the sunny US state of South Carolina and now lives in Florida, solar energy is very important, especially for future generations. Schüco is showing what is possible with energy-efficient production – and I’m proud to work together with this pioneer in global climate protection,” says Dustin Johnson, who since 2008 has teed off on the American PGA tour, on which he has won four tournaments. In 2008, he won the Turning Stone Resort Championship, in 2009 and 2010 the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, and in that same year the BMW Championship. In addition, Johnson was on the American Ryder Cup Team in 2010.

Dirk U. Hindrichs, the President and CEO of Schüco International KG, had the following to say about the cooperation with the American all-around golfer: “In Dustin Johnson, we were able to win a great brand ambassador. Due to his charisma and credibility, even off of the fairways he will be an ideal disseminator of our ideas and philosophy, especially with a view to the North American market.”

The number 13 in the world at the Schüco Open

Dustin Johnson will play in front of a European audience on July 31, when the World Number 13 tees off in the Schüco Open at the Golf Club Hubbelrath in Düsseldorf. Several thousand golf fans will attend the tournament. Johnson will be in first-class company and will compete in Germany’s largest and most star-studded invitational tournament alongside other renowned Schüco brand ambassadors, including the German, Martin Kaymer, currently ranked second in the world, as well as Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Grégory Havret, Geoff Ogilvy, Henrik Stenson, Edoardo Molinari, and Liang Wenchong.

You can find more information on the tournament, whose advance sales so far have exceeded all expectations by far, and purchase tickets at www.schueco.de/schueco-open.

Schüco – Green Technology for the Blue Planet.

That means clean energy from solar products and windows. And the contribution that Schüco makes to the environment with future-oriented building envelopes. To be more precise, with Energy³ – saving energy, generating energy and networking energy. Window and façade systems not only save energy by providing optimum levels of thermal insulation, but also generate energy thanks to efficient solar solutions. The excess energy that is produced can be utilized through intelligent networking. For building functions as well as for daily living. The result is a significant step towards energy self-sufficiency. Towards the sustainable conservation of natural resources. And towards a secure future. With more than 5000 employees and 12,000 partner companies, Schüco is active in more than 75 countries worldwide and achieved turnover of 2.35 billion euros in 2010.

Munich. When Martin Kaymer teed off for the first time in the BMW International Open back in 2003, few could have predicted the glittering path his career would take. Then just 18 years of age, amateur player Kaymer received an invitation from BMW to play in his debut professional tournament. Five years on, however, Kaymer returned to Munich to become the first German to win the BMW International Open – in its 20th year. Since then he has climbed all the way to the top of the world rankings in what seems like the blink of an eye. And when the now 26-year-old steps onto the first tee to contest the 23rd BMW International Open on 23 – 26 June 2011 he will be introduced as a major winner and global superstar.

Tournament president Karsten Engel used Thursday’s press conference to announce that the US PGA Champion would be among the starters at the Golfclub München Eichenried: “We are very proud that the German spectators, in particular, can look forward to watching ‘their’ number one,” he said. “As Germany’s only top-level tournament, we are pleased to be in a position of particular responsibility when it comes to the many golf fans in our country. Needless to say, Martin is highly motivated to show his class once again on German soil.”

A second title win for Kaymer to go with that breakthrough victory in 2008 is far from a foregone conclusion, though. Indeed, the field also includes Dustin Johnson, with whom Kaymer has already fought out some high-pressure matches. The German saw off the rising US star on the way to his first major crown at Whistling Straits, Johnson missing out on a play-off with the eventual winner and fellow American Bubba Watson after a rather unfortunate rule infringement on the final hole. However, the world number 12 redressed the balance later in the year with a majestic 6 and 4 victory over Kaymer in the final round of singles matches in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor, Wales.

Like Kaymer, Johnson also knows what it means to win a BMW tournament. The American celebrated the biggest win of his career so far at last year’s BMW Championship in Cog Hill near Chicago. And now he is making what for the leading US golfers is a very rare trip across the Atlantic. “Confirming a US PGA Tour player of his standing in the field is a real highlight for any European event,” says tournament director Marco Kaussler, who was also able to announce a string of other high-calibre contenders for the 23rd BMW International Open. For example, the event will welcome another major winner in the guise of two-times US Open champion Retief Goosen (South Africa). World number seven Paul Casey (England) is another top-10 player to have already confirmed his entry at this early stage, and the spectators can also look forward to watching former world number two Sergio García (Spain) in action at Eichenried.

While Goosen, Casey and García will be looking to record their first victory in the tournament, Spain’s Miguel Ángel Jiménez and Henrik Stenson of Sweden already have their names on the honours board. The 2004 and 2006 winners have signed up again for this year’s event in the hope of repeating the trick.

“Players who have competed in the BMW International Open before are always keen to come back,” said Kaussler, underlining the special appeal of the two-million-dollar event. “The tournament is highly regarded by the professional players. They appreciate the good organisation and congenial atmosphere we have at Eichenried.”

Bernhard Langer and Alex Cejka, who now live in the USA, are two such players. Langer, a native of neighbouring Anhausen, and Cejka, who lived in Munich for many years, will make a rare visit back to Germany for the BMW International Open again in 2011 – and launch their latest attempt to finally win a tournament in front of their home fans. Two-times Masters champion Langer has been runner-up in the BMW International Open on five occasions already, while Cejka – who tied for 35th in this year’s Masters Tournament in Augusta – came within touching distance of the top prize in 2010 with a third-place finish.

One of the players to watch this year will be 18-year-old Matteo Manassero. In October 2010 the Italian became the youngest player ever to win a tournament on one of the major tours when he took the Castellò Masters title in Valencia. Manassero will be joined in the field by compatriot Francesco Molinari, winner of the HSBC Champions event last year, one of the four exclusive tournaments that make up the World Golf Championship. Like Kaymer and Jiménez, the world number 15 was a member of the victorious European Ryder Cup team in 2010.

Europe’s captain in that memorable victory, Colin Montgomerie, stopped by at the Golfclub München Eichenried on Thursday. And it wasn’t only the participants in the BMW Media Cup 2011 – which took place after the press conference – who benefited from his presence at the course. The Scot gave the assembled journalists an insight into the coaching qualities which helped Europe to that dramatic win over the USA.

“Those were the most intense days of my whole career,” recalled Montgomerie. “And I think our victory has given all the European players a real boost. You only have to look at Martin Kaymer: he’s now the world number one. That’s an incredible achievement. You can only congratulate Germany on producing such a wonderful player, who is also a first-class sportsman.”

For around a year now, Kaymer has represented the BMW Group as a BMW Golfsport Ambassador and as such plays his part in BMW’s far-reaching commitment to golf. BMW is the only brand to be involved in the US PGA Tour (BMW Championship), the European Tour (BMW PGA Championship, BMW International Open, BMW Italian Open) and the Ryder Cup. This commitment, together with its more than 20 Official Car partnerships around the world, makes BMW the most important global player in golf.

The always excellent playing conditions are another factor in securing the fine reputation enjoyed by the BMW International Open. And further improvements have been made to the championship course at Eichenried this year. For example, the bunkers at the 12th and 15th holes have been remodelled, and the 4th fairway has gained 55 yards (50 metres) in length thanks to a new tee position.

“The players used to take a defensive approach from the tee on the 4th hole for the most part, but this change will force them into a rethink,” reported Korbinian Kofler, Managing Director of GC München Eichenried. “All in all, there have been a lot of improvements made in terms of the quality of the course. One such upgrade has seen a new pitching green with two practice bunkers added near the clubhouse. Our aim has been to present our course to the spectators at its best once again – and I think we’ve achieved that.”

NELSON SILVERIO: We’ll go ahead and get started. Dustin Johnson, thanks for joining us for a few minutes. Two-time defending champion here at AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

I know you’re glad to be back. Obviously a great week for you here every year. You’ve played so well in the U.S. Open here last year, and 2011 off to a great start. Top 10s in your first two starts I think, and coming off a T29 last week in The Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Just some opening comments about your year and returning here.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, the year’s been okay so far. Not really pleased at all with my start. I played pretty well at San Diego, but still struggling a little bit.

But, you know, starting to play a little bit better. You know, okay with the first three starts. Looking forward to having a good week here this week. I love this place. Courses are in great shape right now. They’ve had fantastic weather, so everything is pretty firm.

I haven’t been out on Pebble yet, but from what I hear it’s pretty firm and fast. Should be fun.

NELSON SILVERIO: We’ll open it up for questions.

Q. (Question regarding the courses compared to previous years.)

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I think it’s a little bit different. Last year I think I started at Pebble. This year I’m going to end at Pebble. So I’ll play Monterey, Spy, then Pebble. We’ll play a few holes this afternoon. Might go over to Cypress and play a few, too.

Q. (No microphone.)

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, it’s not. It’s in my rotation.

Q. When you get back out on Pebble are the instant memories from the last Open or AT&T?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, neither. You know, I’m just coming out to play the golf course. I love the golf course. It’s still good, even though the last time I played it I struggled a little bit. But I’m still excited to get back out there and play. I’m always going to love this golf course no matter what.

So, you know, I’m just ready to get back out and play. Get a little redemption for the last round of the Open.

Q. From a psychological standpoint, when you come to a place like this where you’ve had so much success, especially in this event the last couple years, do the juices flow more? Do you resolve in your mind, Hey, this is a course that’s pretty much mine?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, I’m very comfortable playing golf here. I enjoy playing out here; I enjoy the tournament; the format a great. You have a lot of fun playing with your amateur partner and the other pro and his partner. It’s going to be a good week.

I’m playing with my partner for the last few years Joe Rice, and then Pat Perez and Kelly Slater. So we’re going to have a lot of fun.

Q. What’s the trick of getting through it?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: As long as you’ve got a good group and you enjoy their company, then you don’t mind being out there for five, five and a half hours , whatever it is. We’re pretty fortunate we kind of get to select who we want to play with.

That’s a big deal when you come out here and you’re going to spend a lot of time with ‘em.

Q. (No microphone.)

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I have not.

Q. (No microphone.)

DUSTIN JOHNSON: I would imagine. It will be interesting.

Q. Could you talk about some of the things specifically about Pebble Beach that suit your game that you like about it?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Um, yeah, I just like the golf course. It sets up very well to my eye. I’m very comfortable out here. I think, you know, I’ve played it a few times now. The more you play golf courses, the more you learn ‘em and you know where to hit the ball.

I think I’ve got this course figured out pretty well. I tend to play it pretty well. Confidence is huge, especially playing golf. If you’re confident you’re going to play well on the golf course, most of the time you do.

Q. It didn’t take you long obviously to feel comfortable on the golf course, because you almost won the first time you played here. Did that have anything at all to do with Bobby’s familiarity with the place for a number of years having worked here?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, Bobby didn’t caddie for me the first time I was here. You know, yeah, he knows these courses pretty well. He worked here for a while. That definitely helps. But at the same time, I like all these golf courses. I’m very comfortable playing on all these courses. Only one I’m not too familiar with is MPCC.

But I like the golf course. It’s a fun golf course to play. I need to probably get a few more rounds out there. I played it a couple times and I enjoy playing it. It’s definitely a great addition to this tournament.

Q. You spoke before about learning from last year’s final round. In what areas do you find yourself…

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, it’s more — you know, still in the first couple rounds I might get a little quick. It’s more important when — I probably need to do it more in the first, second, and third rounds than I do in the final round. The final round is when you’re thinking and you’re more conscious of what’s going on.

That’s when it’s most important, when you’re coming down and you’re under the gun and when you got a shot to win.

Q. You still play quickly.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, slow for me is still pretty fast. To me, I try to go slower than normal. Because especially in a situation like that, the tendency is to get really quick. Quick with the golf swing, quick with everything.

To me, I’ve got to feel like I’m moving pretty slow, which probably isn’t slow. Yeah, but I think so in my head.

Q. Last year it took until the 14th hole for you to pretty much shake it. Did you find that odd considering that Paul doesn’t swing the club like you do?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No, I mean, Paul has played a lot of the great golf in his career. He’s a great player. I really wasn’t playing that well that day. I was hitting it all right, but struggled a little bit on the greens. I think I three-putted a couple times.

So I think I was a couple shots back going into 14, but I knew I had plenty of golf left. Anything can happen on 14, as everybody knows. You can make a birdie on that hole or you can make an 8. It’s a tough hole.

I knew I just needed to make a couple birdies coming in. Fortunately, I only had to — I think I birdied one of the holes coming in.

Q. No one has ever won three times in a row. Were you aware of that?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yes, I think I’ve heard that a few times.

Q. Any thoughts on that?

DUSTIN JOHNSON: No. Hopefully I’ll be the first.

NELSON SILVERIO: Okay. Well, Dustin, we appreciate your time. Best of luck this week.