It is a great story filled with inspiration and splash of motivation but it is likely even the avid golf fan missed it. The viewers of Sunday’s final round of the U.S. Open Golf Championship was the lowest in history. While golf lovers everywhere could not help but be inspired by the historical performance of Martin Kaymer, the story everyone missed was that of Erik Compton.
Compton's story is not about golf and athletics, but about the journey and the process even the very talented must go through to pursue their dreams.
“Let our fear become courage! Let our timidity become boldness! Let our uncertainty become confidence!
— Richard Stern
Erik Compton sees himself as a professional golfer. The world would see him as a two-time heart transplant recipient. At the age of 12, Erik received his first heart transplant. At age 18, he was the top ranked junior golfer in the United States, and went on to become a two time All-American while playing for the University of Georgia.
Compton turned professional in 2001, earning him the distinction of being the only professional golfer in the world with a transplanted heart.
He enjoyed increasing success until 2008 when he suffered a heart attack. Recognizing he was in cardiac arrest, he drove himself to the hospital, ran a toll booth while making phone calls to let the hospital know he was on his way and to tell friends goodbye.
After a wait of eight months, Compton received his second heart. However, the ticket for running the toll booth showed up in the mail just a few days later.
Erik Compton was one of 10,217 players who attempted to qualify for one of 57 qualifying spots in the 2014 U. S. Open Golf Championship at Pinehurst No. 2. Teeing it up for the opening round no one mentioned Erik Compton as a possible winner, with maybe the exception of Erik Compton.
“No shortcuts, no backdoor. If you want to play the weekend at the U.S. Open you’ve got to earn it.”
— Erik Compton
Compton earned it, and on Sunday he made an eight foot par putt on the 18th hole that secured him 2nd place and the largest payday of his career and an invitation to The Masters.
Compton’s play was exceptional and would have been good enough to have won six of the last ten U.S. Open Golf Championships.
I was rooting for Erik Compton on Sunday. The good news is his story lives on and so do the lessons he continues to display in the way he lives and plays.
- Smile, life truly is a gift.
- Adversity is normal, press on.
- We are what we say we are. “I am a professional golfer who happens to be a double heart transplant recipient.”
- Help others by being a good role model. “Love being able to spread the work about organ donation.” Donate Life
We each have roles we play out every day. How we play them out will ultimately be the measure of our legacy.
Congratulations Erik Compton, well played!
Did you watch the U.S. Open? Did you know anything about Erik Compton?