Sports

Kaymer in front, but feel-good story Compton draws spotlight

PINEHURST, N.C. — By sundown Sunday, Martin Kaymer likely will have won the 114th U.S. Open at Pinehurst. It would be his second career major championship victory and come in the wake of his Players Championship triumph last month, a win he said he considers a major championship.

Kaymer, despite some dodgy moments in Saturday’s third round, during which he shot a 2-over 72, has owned this championship since he began it with a pair of 65s in the first two rounds to build a record-tying six-shot lead entering the weekend.

So Sunday — his coronation as long as he can close out the five-shot lead he brings into the final round — will be Kaymer’s day.

Saturday, however, was Erik Compton’s day — one that no one ever can take away from him, even if he is unable to overcome the five-shot lead Kaymer has on him and Rickie Fowler through 54 holes.

Compton was one of only two players of the 67 who made the cut to break par in Saturday’s third round. Both he and Fowler shot 3-under 67s.

An amazing feat for sure, particularly for a player competing in only his second career major championship.

An even more amazing feat for a 34-year-old who is living with his third heart.

At age 9, Compton was diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy, a condition in which the heart muscle is inflamed and unable to pump effectively.

At age 12, Compton received the heart of a young girl, prompting him to later joke: “I don’t need to win any girl’s heart; I’ve already got one.”

At age 28, Compton needed a second heart transplant after a heart attack, and this time got one from a young man named Isaac Klosterman, who died in a motorcycle accident while vacationing in Florida. Compton remains in close contact with his family.

“They have a special place here with me and what more can I say? I mean, I feel blessed to be able to play here and without them, I wouldn’t be here,’’ he said.

This U.S. Open is Compton’s 100th career PGA Tour start. He never has won on the PGA Tour, and he likely won’t on Sunday. But he is making this U.S. Open a memorable one for himself and many others.

“I saw his name go up on the scoreboard and [that was] really impressive; 3-under par around this golf course after three days is very impressive, no matter who you are,’’ Rory McIlroy said. “And given everything that Erik’s went through and continues to go through, it’s really a phenomenon.’’

Compton said he drew inspiration from a lunch he had with Jack Nicklaus at the Memorial Tournament last month.

“He kind of winked at me and said, ‘Your game will suit Pinehurst,’ ’’ Compton said. “He had a look in his eye and … he said that if I got here I would have a special week. So maybe it’s just kind of a self-fulfilling thing that I brought on myself, but I felt like I was going to have a great week this week.’’

Days after that conversation with Nicklaus at Muirfield, Compton endured the grueling 36-hole sectional qualifier to get into Pinehurst.

Before Saturday’s round, Compton got a call from the legendary Chi Chi Rodriguez, with whom he has become close.

“He told me I was going to shoot 64,” Compton said. “He told me how tough I was,’’ Compton said.

“I’m just happy to be able to play golf,’’ he said. “But to play at this high level and in such a big tournament, it is something that I carry with me and it gives me a lot of strength when I do have moments where I feel like I get emotional for a second. But it’s right back to hitting the ball and trying to get the ball in the hole.’’

What happens in Sunday’s final round, or course, matters. But it’s not going to alter Compton’s remarkable story.

“I think that my attitude suits a U.S. Open style course, because I don’t ever give up,’’ Compton said. “If I were to win the tournament, it would be obviously something that would be extremely special, not only for me, but for my family and for those who have been around me and I think also for the community and those who have been through some tough times. I might just sail off and never play golf again.’’