Heart-transplant recipient all but seals tour card
Source: Agencies |
June 29, 2011, Wednesday
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DOUBLE heart-transplant recipient Erik Compton cannot wait to compete full-time on the PGA Tour after almost guaranteeing his playing rights by winning for the first time on the second-tier Nationwide circuit.
The 31-year-old American, who was diagnosed with an enlarged heart as a child and had his first transplant at the age of 12 and his second in 2008, triumphed at the Mexico Open in Leon on Sunday.
"I get a lot of opportunities to play in PGA Tour events because of my story," he told the tour's official website after climbing to second in the Nationwide money list.
"But now I have won and I have pretty much secured my tour card, I will get into events on that alone. I have been playing professionally since I was 20 and never won so I feel like it's a monkey off my back."
Compton, who will be playing in this week's PGA Tour AT&T National in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, on a sponsor's exemption, is all but certain to earn his card by finishing in the top 25 on the second-tier circuit.
"To win is everything to me," he said. "I never thought I would play golf again, at least not at this level.
"I proved I'm more than just a guy with two heart transplants. To think of what I went through and to have all the support and love of everyone around me, it's almost unreal."
Compton is now hoping he can record a breakthrough win on the main tour.
"The guys who see me inside the ropes see me as a regular golfer," he said. "But at the end of the day when I put my head down I realize how lucky I am. To be able to say I'll be playing on the PGA Tour only four years after my heart transplant is unbelievable. I don't really know what my future is in life - hopefully I can get a win out on the main tour now."
The 31-year-old American, who was diagnosed with an enlarged heart as a child and had his first transplant at the age of 12 and his second in 2008, triumphed at the Mexico Open in Leon on Sunday.
"I get a lot of opportunities to play in PGA Tour events because of my story," he told the tour's official website after climbing to second in the Nationwide money list.
"But now I have won and I have pretty much secured my tour card, I will get into events on that alone. I have been playing professionally since I was 20 and never won so I feel like it's a monkey off my back."
Compton, who will be playing in this week's PGA Tour AT&T National in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, on a sponsor's exemption, is all but certain to earn his card by finishing in the top 25 on the second-tier circuit.
"To win is everything to me," he said. "I never thought I would play golf again, at least not at this level.
"I proved I'm more than just a guy with two heart transplants. To think of what I went through and to have all the support and love of everyone around me, it's almost unreal."
Compton is now hoping he can record a breakthrough win on the main tour.
"The guys who see me inside the ropes see me as a regular golfer," he said. "But at the end of the day when I put my head down I realize how lucky I am. To be able to say I'll be playing on the PGA Tour only four years after my heart transplant is unbelievable. I don't really know what my future is in life - hopefully I can get a win out on the main tour now."
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