PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- That Erik Compton, always relying on a darned cart, right?
Before anybody jumps me for being politically incorrect to guys heroically attempting to overcome physical limitations, the two-time heart-transplant recipient is walking this week while playing in the Honda Classic, not riding.
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| Erik Compton played in Dubai in January and has a number of sponsor exemptions on the PGA Tour in 2009. (AP) |
As if his life hasn't been crazy enough since receiving his second heart transplant last spring and playing in Qualifying School an astounding five months later, he and his newlywed wife had their first child last month, an adorable girl named Petra. Compton, who looks better than he has in years physically, was puffing out his chest talking with a few scribes when Ernie Els sauntered by, shook his hand and offered his congratulations.
"Good to see you," Els said warmly.
It's good to be seen, brother.
After several miserable months in early 2008 when it was uncertain whether he would live or die, things are starting to come together for Compton, who didn't make it through Q-school and has no tour status. He played in a European Tour event in January, where his story was detailed in several prominent U.K. publications, and he has received a sponsor exemption to the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando later this month.
He was 1 under par and only three shots behind leader Robert Allenby through 16 holes Thursday when darkness halted play at PGA National.
Finally and deservingly, people are learning of the guy's amazing journey. The number of heart-transplant recipients attempting to play at their game's highest level can be counted on zero hands. Or arms.
Even we hardened, sarcastic, jaded beat writers were amazed the Compton story didn't gain more national traction last fall -- even after he was featured on the ABC evening news. Some of us slogged around Q-school watching him play, shaking our heads at how everybody had made a federal case about Tiger Woods' knee surgery -- he was out for eight months following a fairly routine procedure -- and how Compton was back five months after having his chest ripped open from stem to stern and then stapled back together.
That's five months after his third heart was brought into an operating room packed in an ice chest, mind you. It still gives me a lump in my throat.
Thanks to the help of a new agent -- former IMG player manager Peter Malik, the longtime representative for Mark O'Meara -- Compton has finally secured an endorsement deal, with Titleist. A book deal is being discussed, and it's sure to be one of the best golf tomes in years. You couldn't make up this kid's life story, really, since he received his first transplant at age 12.
After all, five months removed from his second heart transplant, he came within a stroke of making it to Q-school finals. Petra was actually conceived while Compton was hospitalized in Miami, awaiting a donor heart, his future very uncertain and hardly assured. He didn't have health insurance and was getting by on the federal equivalent, COBRA.
None of us could understand why equipment makers or sponsors weren't busting down his condo door. While he doesn't have status on a major tour, he is getting a steady supply of exemptions, and every time he plays, he generates coverage. It was such a no-brainer, I personally contacted three equipment companies on his behalf to try to get the guy, at minimum, some fresh tools -- he had given away his clubs, convinced he would never play golf again and not completely sure he would survive. He was using garage-sale-quality clubs at Q-school last year, making the story that much more unbelievable.
Flash forward to this week and Compton looks terrific -- his jowly, ruddy cheeks, byproducts of medication, are gone. He looks lean and mean and will attempt to play this week without an electric cart, which he was allowed to use at Q-school and while playing in last year's PGA Tour event at Disney World, where he received a sponsor exemption and made the cut, by the way.
"Yeah, things are a little different since the last time [I saw you]," the Miami native said with a laugh.
At the Masters, the former University of Georgia All-American will receive a national award from the Golf Writers Association of America for being the comeback player of the year. A GolfWorld magazine feature story by Jim Moriarty detailing Compton's saga was named the national story of 2008 by the same organization.
Thankfully, new chapters are still being written -- including one in the hallway at PGA National. His wife has just sprinted past, realizing that she had removed some jewelry while washing her hands in the women's bathroom and forgotten to retrieve them.
"What are the odds that the rings are still there?" Compton said.
He laughed out loud, knowing the likely answer already. But at this point, he was hardly upset. After all, this is one guy who has learned not to sweat the small stuff.
As Compton caught us up on some of the recent details of his life, Petra was tucked in the cart, snoozing quietly with a stocking cap on her tiny head to keep warm, oblivious to Els and everybody else hovering nearby.
They made quite the pair -- a miracle baby and her miracle daddy, tooling along, headed for the happiest of endings.
