FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, March 5th, 2017

NBC NOTABLE QUOTES: WGC-MEXICO CHAMPIONSHIP, SUNDAY’S FINAL ROUND – WORLD. NO. 1 JOHNSON WINS BY 1

NBC Sports Group Notable Quotes
WGC-Mexico Championship
Sunday, March 5, 2017 (Final Round)
Chapultepec Golf Club
Mexico City, Mexico

On Dustin Johnson, WGC-Mexico Championship winner at 14-under par
Gary Koch – “His body looks like it is made for golf. He is long and lean and strong. You go back to the improvement in his play from 150 yards and in. If he continues to improve bunker play and short game shots around the green – which he is getting better at – I think he will be number one for a long time.”
Dan Hicks – “We are seeing this whole package come together.”
Hicks – “In the end the guy with all of the firepower and all of the game ends up on top.”

Dustin Johnson speaking with NBC’s Steve Sands on winning his first start as World No. 1
Dustin Johnson – “It means a lot. Obviously it is a tough spot to be in. There is a lot of pressure on you and I came out and played really well. I felt like I hit the ball great all week. You know, the greens, they are tough to putt on. I didn’t feel like I putted my best. But I really hit the ball well. I played just well enough I guess because I won by one.”
Johnson – “The first day I didn’t feel like I was hitting bad putts. I was frustrated, but you know I didn’t feel like I was doing anything wrong with the putter. So I just kept trying to read the putts as best as I could and just really commit to the lines I was going to pick and make a good stroke.” 

On Tommy Fleetwood, second place at 13-under par
Hicks – “What a great finish to put him in solo second.”
Hicks – “This was a knockout birdie for Tommy Fleetwood and he nearly got knocked out by the caddie.” 

On Jon Rahm, T3 at 12-under par
Notah Begay – “He has been really impressive. You never really know how these players are going to handle early success. He certainly has the goods.”
Koch – “We will be talking about Jon Rahm for many years to come.”
Hicks – “So Jon Rahm doesn’t get it done today, but he has the firepower and the all-around game to be around at the elite level at this game for long time.” 

On Ross Fisher, T3 at 12-under par
Hicks – “What a day for Ross Fisher. Nine birdies. If he didn’t have those three bogeys, there would have been a lot of ‘would have, should have, could haves.’” 

On Phil Mickelson, T7 at 10-under par
David Feherty – “He has had some difficulty finding it [the fairway] off the tee. If he hit the fairways, today would be a different story.”
Hicks – “I am absolutely convinced that Phil Mickelson visited the Pyramids before his round yesterday [Saturday] because there was some mystical magic going on.”
Koch – “I think he is disappointed for the reason that he had worked on his driver play and it is much better than it showed this week.”

On Rory McIlroy, T7 at 10-under par
Koch – “A frustrating weekend for Rory McIlroy.”
Feherty – The last couple of days, he really has not been able to get things firing on all cylinders.”
Peter Jacobsen – “I think he is going to leave here happy that his body feels good.” 

-NBC Sports Group-