PINEHURST, N.C. — The nation viewed Erik Compton a winner long before he teed off for the final round of the 114th U.S. Open on Sunday at Pinehurst. After heart transplants at age 12 and another in 2008, being able to compete in a major championship was a victory in itself.
Compton, 34, wanted to win America’s national championship, but settled for a second-place tie with Rickie Fowler at 1-under par and the inspiration he gave an admiring audience.
“You can’t ever give up,” Compton said after a final round 2-over-par 72 that included an improbable par-saving up-and-down on the 18th hole. “We all have adversity in our lives, some are different than others. Some are more major. The up-and-down I made on 18 is an example of never giving up. I hit the world’s worst shot into the green and then got up-and-down.
“So when you have disabilities or you have health issues, some days are really bad and then you got to try to make the best of it the next day and wake up and move your body. I’m a perfect example of that. I’ve been on my back twice and I never thought I would ever leave the house. Now I just finished second at the U.S. Open, which I don’t think anybody would have ever thought I would do that, not even myself.”
Five shots behind eventual champion Martin Kaymer when the day started, Compton gave it a gallant try. He made birdie at the par-5 fifth hole and raised hopes the final round might be competitive. But he gave it back with a bogey at the par-4 seventh. That established the theme for his final round. Every time he tried to get something going, trouble and Kaymer kept him from being a serious contender.
A birdie at the par-4 eighth hole cut Kaymer’s lead to four strokes, but that was followed by a bogey at the par-3 ninth. A birdie at the par-5 10th was followed by a bogey at the par-4 11th. He took bogey at the par-4 12th and followed with another bogey at the par-3 15th to drop to 1-under.
“It’s a scary golf course, every hole is scary,” Compton said. “I felt like I did a great job of avoiding a disaster.”
Compton never gave up and the crowd didn’t give up on him.
“Seemed like people really got around my story,” he said. “For me to be here and to do this at such a high level is just as good of a feeling as winning a golf tournament.”
He stayed in red numbers and earned his first ticket to the Masters next year.
“I go from where I was a few years ago, and now I’m able to play in major championships,” Compton said. “This is a career-opening thing for me, for me to be able to put myself on the map and prove I’m not just the guy with two heart transplants.”