After Two Heart Transplants, Erik Compton Not Satisfied Just to Play

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- Unlike everybody watching him, Erik Compton wasn't just happy to be here.

So when he walked off the 18th hole Friday, he did not feel the least bit inspirational or heroic. He felt like a man who just shot an 81.

"This is where I'm supposed to be. I'm supposed to miss the cut," Compton said. "I'm supposed to be the guy with the three hearts, but that's not the way I want it to be."

For what it's worth, he posted the best score in U.S. Open history by a man who's undergone two heart transplants. That made him a cause célèbre this week at Pebble Beach, the kind of story that can't have a sad ending.

It can't unless heart No. 2 was determined to be more than a feel-good novelty act.

"I've got to smile because I'm here playing," Compton said. "But it'll take me about 25 minutes to realize what a great week it has been."

Great except for the fact a golf ball doesn't care how many organ transplants the person hitting it has undergone. The dream scenario would have been a final-round showdown between Compton and Tiger Woods.

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The man with three hearts vs. the man with 121 mistresses. Poor Tiger would have set his image back 1,000 hookers if he'd beaten up on Compton.

That final pairing was never going to happen, but you didn't need a brain transplant to think Compton could be playing this weekend. He hadn't missed a cut in four PGA Tour events this year.

None, of course, were contested at Pebble Beach.

"Getting here was really difficult," "Compton said. "That's why I'm frustrated."

He meant just qualifying was difficult. Never mind all that came before it.

The synopsis is Compton underwent his first transplant when he was 12. He'd developed cardiomyopathy, a weakening of the heart muscle.

The new ticker beat well enough for him to become one of the country's better amateur players and a borderline pro. The 30-year-old from Miami has played most of his career on the Nationwide and Canadian tours. At least he played them until October 2007, when he had a heart attack.

Compton got a third heart seven months later. It came from Isaac Klosterman, a 26-year-old who'd played volleyball at Dayton. He was on vacation in Florida, riding his motorcycle in West Palm Beach. A pickup truck hit him from behind.

The gift of life to Compton would have been enough.

"When I was laying there in the ICU after the transplant, I pretty much had come to grips that I wasn't ever going to play golf again," he said. "I sold all my golf equipment."

It didn't take long for him to want it back. Compton started playing again, and despite the fatigue having to take 40 pills a day, his game returned. He's gotten into four tournaments this year on sponsor's exemptions, the last one at Memorial two weeks ago.

The next morning he drove from Columbus to Springfield, Ohio for the U.S. Open qualifier. It took 39 holes, including three playoff ones, but he made the top two and broke down crying.

"It was very emotional because it's something that I've worked for my whole life," Compton said, "to play in a major."

He wouldn't be human if he wasn't thrilled. But you don't become a world-class anything by being happy just to be there.

Compton felt confident after his practice rounds. Then the wind and the concrete fairways and the miniature greens got to him. He opened with a 77 and was four shots worse Friday. Then came the usual question.

All things considered, wasn't it enough to just be here?

"I just shot two lousy rounds," Compton said, "and it's always going to be about my medical thing."

Spoken like a golfer, not a novelty act.

Compton knows he may never hit another shot in a major. For now, he'd be happy to get invited to the John Deere Classic. He's written tournaments to see if they'd give him a sponsor's exemptions. So far he's had no response, so he'll probably head back to the Nationwide Tour.

"I've got to make a living somehow," Compton said.

The best thing he took out of this weekend was that he played late on Thursday, then early on Friday, and he didn't suffer the usual fatigue.

"I feel like I could go another 18 right now," Compton said.

Instead, he had to pack his clubs and talk about his three hearts.

All of them broken.