LA JOLLA, Calif. — By the time veteran PGA Tour caddie Ron Levin began working with Erik Compton this year, Compton was a miracle two times over.
Compton, a second-year pro who competes with the likes of Tiger Woods to make a living, wakes up every morning thanks to the beating of the third heart he has had in his 33 years.
Compton had his first heart transplant at age 12 in 1992 and had a second one in 2008 after he suffered a heart attack. He lives each day blocking out thoughts about whether he will need a third transplant later in life.
Yet, in spite of the hurdles that might break many people, Compton never wavered from his dream of playing professional golf, and he finished in a tie for seventh at the PGA Tour qualifying school to earn his playing status on Tour this year.
Through two rounds of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, where third-round play was suspended yesterday because of fog and will resume today, Compton’s 8-under par score stood three shots behind Woods’ tournament lead at 11-under.
Compton, whose best career PGA Tour finish was a tie for 13th at least year’s John Deere Classic, is in that position for many reasons — not the least of which is his own will and the skill the God gave him along with that faulty first heart.
But something had been missing for Compton and Levin immediately noticed it.
“Erik is a perfectionist — times 10 — almost to a disorder,’’ Levin said.
With everything Compton has been through, it seemed somewhat trivial and even ironic that Levin would try to get him to lighten up and stop sweating the little stuff.
But that’s exactly what Compton has done and it enabled him to survive grueling Q School to position himself this week to possibly seize his first PGA Tour victory.
“My main thing to him is, ‘Don’t try to be perfect, just be good, just hit a whole lot of good shots,’ ’’ Levin said.
“I’ve been playing very, very well,’’ Compton said. “I feel maybe a little more confident and more aware of where I need to miss it and places to take advantage of.’’
Levin called Compton’s performance in Q School “a breakthrough.’’
“He has always said, ‘Erik Compton’s worst enemy is Erik Compton,’ ’’ Levin said. “He knew if he stayed out of his own way he would get through Q School and get his card. He’s done an unbelievable job of that the last six months.’’
Never better than this week at Torrey Pines, where Compton followed a 1-under-par 71 Thursday at the tougher South Course (longer by 600 yards) with a 7-under-par 65 on the North Course Friday — matching the 65 Woods shot.
“It’s an unbelievable story,’’ Woods said. “The attitude that it takes to go through something like that, I don’t think any of us could possibly understand it. There are very few people who have had organ transplants and who have survived and had great lives, but, to do what he’s doing out here and being a professional and work his way to this level is just remarkable.’’
Compton takes more than a dozen pills in the morning and again at night, many of which keep his second heart compatible with the rest of his organs.
Still, through all the medical miracles and the obstacles, Compton looks every bit of a PGA Tour player. If you watch him play and look for weakness you have no idea what he’s gone through.
“He’s one of the best ball strikers on the Tour,’’ Levin said. “Pound for pound, he’s probably the longest guy out here.’’
For example, on the 614-yard par-5 ninth hole of the South Course Thursday, the 5-foot-8, 150-pound Compton reached the green in two and was pin high hitting and driver and a 3-wood.
“I doubt anyone did close to that,’’ Levin said.
Few have endured close to what Compton has and accomplished close what he has.
“We’ve had plenty of frank conversations when he has told me he didn’t think he was going to make it a few times,’’ Levin said. “There are thousands of other people in similar situations where they just want to live a normal life and they see what Erik has accomplished and it inspires themIt’s pretty neat.’’