The 42-year-old from Miami has been a pro golfer since 2001. You honor the donor, just all the achievements that have happened through the years.” “I’ve always celebrated the date of my second transplant and my first transplant. “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. A solid round Friday would have meant a spot on the weekend, which would have meant a check, maybe even a chance to contend.PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. His clubhead speed and ball speed, he insists, are good enough for him to compete with the best. It may have wavered a bit in recent years, but it’s still there.Ĭompton says he feels great, having just dropped 20 pounds. And I don’t see why I can’t continue to keep chasing my dream.” I’ve had a pretty solid career, but compared to a lot of guys I haven’t made the amount of dollars. “A lot of guys that are my age maybe aren’t necessarily as hungry because they’ve made a lot more money than I have. Open, the big spark in a year in which he earned $1.8 million - almost half of his $4.1 million in career PGA Tour earnings. He has never won on the PGA Tour his best finish was a tie for second at the 2014 U.S. He usually plays on the Korn Ferry Tour these days he has made one PGA Tour cut in only four tries since 2016 and was playing the Honda this week on a sponsor’s exemption.
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