![]() “Obviously, 30 is going to be a big milestone,” Compton said. Still fighting.Īnd on Saturday, still celebrating, even without playing. He has been told multiple times that his sports career was over, multiple times that he could no longer play competitive golf. He drove himself to a hospital after having a heart attack in 2007, seven months before his second transplant in May 2008. Those words weren’t hyperbole, and certainly don’t just apply to him playing golf. “I’ve got more pressure experience in my life in the field combined,” Compton said. He has fought and fought and fought since, and an opening round of 1-under 69 at the Honda Classic on Thursday was yet another reminder that he’s made a career out of defying absurdly long odds.Īnd Friday's second round of 12-over was a reminder of how tough things can be for Compton. 26, 1992, when Compton - then 12 - got the first of two heart transplants, needed after he was diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart becomes inflamed and cannot effectively pump blood. Instead, he’ll have to settle for it being the 30th anniversary of his getting a second chance at life. He didn't make the cut at the Honda Classic, meaning he won't be playing a third round at PGA National. ![]() (AP) - Erik Compton is going to have a great Saturday, even without playing golf. I happen to be one of those guys right now, and I feel like if I can do the things like I did today and get out of my own way, there’s no reason I shouldn’t continue to progress in this game.PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. “And that’s difficult to do in four days, and it’s proven difficult for a lot of guys who have never won on tour who have great careers. “I just want to get the ball in play and hit on the green and see where I can go,” he said. Compton is learning not to swing so hard to take advantage of his putting stroke. That remains his biggest highlight in golf. He’s going to the Masters next year for the first time, courtesy of his runner-up finish in the U.S. What’s real to him now is being a PGA Tour regular. I didn’t know I was going to have to deal with that.” I obviously had some hurdles that I had to deal with in front of me, which I didn’t see coming. “I think when I was younger, I had some unrealistic expectations,” he said. Open champion at Pebble Beach.Ĭompton’s hopes were not much different from theirs - turn pro, win tournaments. 1 Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell, the U.S. The Britain & Ireland team featured former world No. Trahan, who both went on to win on the PGA Tour. ![]() Open champion Lucas Glover along with Bryce Molder and D.J. “I got him five ways one day,” he said without mentioning a dollar amount.Ĭompton played on that Walker Cup team with 2009 U.S. And then just played five or six rounds with him before I went back on the road.” “He was just trying to motivate me to get in better shape. “I went to the gym with him a couple of times and played him for some money games in Miami,” Compton said. In the short offseason, he spent more time in the gym trying to get stronger at the recommendation of former Miami Heat guard Ray Allen. He prefers to look ahead, at the next shot, the next tournament, trying to get the most he can out of his game, just like the guys he is trying to beat.Ĭompton has reached the FedEx Cup playoff the last two seasons and advanced to the third round at the BMW Championship last month. His story never gets old, and Compton is happy to tell it, especially if that means bringing attention to the “Donate Life America” campaign. He had his second in 2008 and ended that year by making the cut in the final PGA Tour event. The first hurdle when he turned pro was realizing that “everybody out here is really, really, really, really good.” The more serious hurdle was his heart.Ĭompton had his first transplant when he 12 because of cardiomyopathy, an enlarging of the heart that hinders its ability to pump blood. A few months later, Compton played in the Walker Cup at nearby Ocean Forest. Compton first played Sea Island when he competed in the SEC Championship while at Georgia in 2001. ![]()
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