Erik Compton
| Erik Compton | |
|---|---|
| — Golfer — | |
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Erik Harald Høie Compton |
| Born |
November 11, 1979 Miami, Florida |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Weight | 150 lb (68 kg; 11 st) |
| Nationality |
 United States Norway |
| Residence | Coral Gables, Florida |
| Spouse | Barbara Casco (m. 2008) |
| Children | Petra (b. 2009) |
| Career | |
| College | University of Georgia |
| Turned professional | 2001 |
| Current tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Former tour(s) |
Nationwide Tour Canadian Tour |
| Professional wins | 7 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| Web.com Tour | 1 |
| Other | 6 |
| Best results in Major Championships | |
| Masters Tournament | DNP |
| U.S. Open | CUT: 2010 |
| The Open Championship | DNP |
| PGA Championship | DNP |
| Achievements and awards | |
| Canadian Tour Order of Merit winner | 2004 |
Erik Harald Høie Compton (born November 11, 1979) is a Norwegian-American professional golfer.
Compton was born in Miami, Florida to an American father and a Norwegian mother and holds dual citizenship.[1] He attended the University of Georgia and played on the 2001 Palmer Cup and Walker Cup teams.
Medical condition
When he was nine, Compton was diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart muscle is inflamed and unable to pump as hard as it should. This condition has resulted in him undergoing two successful heart transplants, the first being in 1992 when Compton was 12, and the second taking place in 2008. During The Masters at Augusta, Georgia in April 2009, Compton received the Ben Hogan Award, which is given annually to a golfer who has stayed active in golf despite a physical handicap or serious illness. He also gained recognition for his attempts to be allowed the use of a golf cart during qualifying rounds for PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour events.[2]
Professional career
After graduating from the University of Georgia, Compton turned professional in 2001. He played on the Nationwide Tour in 2002 and again from 2005 to 2007. His best finish was a T2 at the 2004 Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open.
Compton played on the Canadian Tour in 2003 and 2004. In 2004, he dominated the Canadian Tour, winning twice and also winning the Order of Merit title. He also won the 2005 Hassan II Golf Trophy in Morocco.
Compton has also played the mini-tours, winning a few events on the NGA Hooters Tour. He played in thirty PGA Tour events as a non-member from 2000 to 2011 through sponsor exemptions and qualifying, making the cut 18 times. His best PGA Tour finish was T25 in the 2011 Northern Trust Open. Compton has played in one major, the 2010 U.S. Open, where he did not make the cut. In 2010, Compton advanced to the Tour's final round of qualifying school. He finished tied for 100th, which granted him conditional Nationwide Tour status. In 2011, Compton won the Mexico Open, his first win on a major golf tour. Compton finished 13th on the money list, good enough for a PGA Tour Card for 2012.
In 2012, Compton made 16 of 26 cuts on the PGA Tour. His best finish was T-13 at the John Deere Classic.[3] He finished 163rd on the money list, failing to retain his tour card. He returned to qualifying school and finished T-7 to regain his card for 2013. In 2013, he recorded his first top-10 finish by placing T-4 at The Honda Classic in March.[3]
Compton lives in Miami with wife Barbara and daughter Petra.
Amateur wins (1)
- 2001 Monroe Invitational
Professional wins (7)
Nationwide Tour (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jun 26, 2011 | Mexico Open | –17 (68-70-68-65=271) | 2 strokes | Richard H. Lee |
Canadian Tour (3)
- 2003 Michelin Guadalajara Classic
- 2004 E-Loan Central Valley Classic, MTS Classic
Other (3)
- 2004 Hassan II Golf Trophy
- 2 wins on NGA Hooters Tour
U.S. national team appearances
Amateur
- Palmer Cup: 2001 (winners)
- Walker Cup: 2001
See also
- 2011 Nationwide Tour graduates
- 2012 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates
- List of organ transplant donors and recipients
References
- ↑ "Halvt norske Erik har hatt tre hjerter (Norwegian-American Erik has had three hearts)" (in Norwegian). August 1, 2010. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
- ↑ Durning, Marijke (April 6, 2009). "2 Heart Transplants, 1 golfer, Erik Compton". Retrieved March 5, 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "PGA Tour – Season – Erik Compton". PGA Tour. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
External links
- Official website
- Erik Compton at the PGA Tour official site
- Erik Compton at the PGA Tour Canada official site
- Erik Compton at the Official World Golf Ranking official site