John Berkovich is a writer and photographer and has been published in countless newspapers, magazines and websites around the world. He has years of experience with business and technical copy, press releases and numerous other forms of writing. Courageous, legend and miracle may be the most overused words in sports, but none can be more fitting to describe Erik Compton.
This past week, the legend that is Compton continued to grow.
Only six-and-a-half months after receiving the second heart transplant of his life, the American was one of 81 players from 15 nations teeing it off at the Costa Rica Classic.
He is doing more than playing; he is playing well. Compton opened with rounds of 73-76 to make the cut at the demanding Robert Trent Jones layout.
“You know, this is a great opportunity to come and play here,” said the 29-year old, invited here by TLA Commissioner Henrique Lavie. “If you do it well, you can get some confidence. We all are trying to carry this on to a bigger stage, and I got a little taste of that a couple of weeks ago. Hopefully, I will get some more invites next year.”
By that ‘little taste,” he means making the cut at the PGA Tour’s Children's Miracle Network Classic recently. The week after that event he kept making headlines, coming up just short of reaching the final stage of Q-School.
“I missed second stage by one shot,” he said. “Anyway, I played really well, but I mean (missing that) it’s nothing any tougher than what I had to go through off the golf course. It’s been just exciting to come back and play, you know, kind of being resurrected!”
He is a living miracle. Despite having his first heart transplant at age 12, he went on to become the No. 1 junior golfer in the world by age 18. His development as a golf player continued at the University of Georgia and then as a pro.
Twice a winner on the Canadian Tour and the Order of Merit winner in 2004, Compton moved up to the Nationwide Tour.
“I was on a good track record a couple of years ago to do it” said Compton. “I won the Canadian Tour money title and then played pretty well on the Nationwide. Obviously, I noticed that I was slowing down, and being in denial about it. A lot of my good friends kind of surpassed me, but as I watch them win on the PGA Tour, I kind of visualize myself being there. I have to believe that if it wasn’t for all of the medical stuff I’ll probably be in better physical shape and have the stamina to play.”
The past 16 months have been a roller coaster ride for Compton. Since he suffered a massive heart attack in September 2007, which led to his second heart transplant last May, he got married, and he and his wife are expecting their first child in late February.
“It’s really hard to put together how much I’ve been through,” he adds. “Realistically I’m still rehabbing right now. It’s been only six months since I had my heart taken out and had a new one put in again.
“You know it’s one of those things it’s hard for people to understand. It’s even hard for me to understand it. Sometimes it kind of hits me how the blood is pumping through all my body and that I have somebody else’s heart. It’s just ridiculous and crazy when you think about it. I mean, modern science is unbelievable!”
Only a week after his second transplant, he told the Canadian Tour he was looking forward to playing competitive golf again. In doing so, the Florida native is teaching us that with the proper attitude, we can create our own miracles.