Erik Compton beats odds to lead Greenbrier day one
Erik Compton was the name on top of the leaderboard after the first day at the Greenbrier Classic which kicked off on Thursday. Compton shot a seven-under 63 and eventually shared the lead with rookie Matt Every.
Compton earned his berth through a late sponsor exemption. Before receiving the phone call invitation he had been doing eight straight days of garden work at his Miami home after missing the cut for the Reno-Tahoe Open.
"You know, some guys miss six, seven cuts in a row and then win," Compton said. "I know I'm a good player, and I have a lot of the adversity in front of me with the game and health. But I always feel like if I stick in there and keep trying, something eventually good is going to happen."
Something finally did happen for this 30-year-old golfer. Compton earned himself nine birdies after a slow start and is definitely making the most of being here. He is an accurate driver and demonstrated an all-around good game on The Greenbrier’s Old White course. Compton reached 11 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens in regulation. He bogeyed two holes in the first three, but followed that up with seven birdies over the next nine holes. Compton birdied the par-four 14th hole as well as the par-five 17th hole.
Early first round leaders were George McNeill, Pat Perez and Jeff Overton who all opened with 64's. Over half of the field had never played at Greenbrier before this week, something that wasn't a detriment as much as it was an excitement, and 24 players were four under or better.
Compton is keeping his cool and taking things as they come, day by day and week by week. With more than half of the field in a position to miss the cut for the FedEx Cup playoffs, everyone is trying to grab a spot in next week's PGA Championship. Everyone except Compton, who is more focused on securing a future on the PGA Tour or Nationwide circuit.
This season Compton has made four cuts out of his seven starts. His stamina is good but he admits he is not playing at the same level as the other players just yet. Mostly this owes to the fact that most courses can be very hilly and have expansive terrains. Greenbrier does not fall into this category of golf course as it is relatively flat.
When Compton was nine years old he was diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy, a disease that inflames the heart and leaves it unable to pump as hard as it needs to supply blood to the rest of the body. It was three years ago that Compton underwent his first heart transplant. The transplant didn’t take well, and Compton had a second transplant in 2008.
Fearing he would never play golf again, Compton sold his golf equipment after his second transplant. But as luck would have it he began getting better, and Compton returned to the game only a few weeks later. "My health is great. I keep a good eye on it," Compton said. "I'm almost like a doctor now myself because I've been through so much and being able to manage medications and take it on the road."
Compton's battle with the disease hasn't been easy for him or his family, and he realizes he is not the only one burdened with it. "It affects so many people," Compton said of family and friends supporting him through the surgeries and his recovery.
One person whose been positively affected by Compton is his close friend and caddy for the weekend Viktor Billskoog. Billskoog hopes to attend the PGA Tour qualifying school next season and is using Compton as an inspiration,
"He has such a great story coming from the depths that he came from," Billskoog said. "When I get down on myself and think about how hard I'm having it, I think about Erik and his remarkable story."
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