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Erik Compton plays to crowd as charity fundraiser makes debut

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Erik Compton still had a few birdies left in him after returning from his fourth straight PGA Tour event. (Getty Images)

Erik Compton had just finished his fourth consecutive PGA Tour stop, returning to South Florida around midnight and facing a 6 a.m. wakeup call. Somehow, that didn’t keep him from putting on a show for the folks who turned out for the first edition of his charity event.

Compton birdied four of five holes at Deering Bay Yacht & Country Club, beating fellow PGA Tour pros Kyle Stanley and Rickie Fowler in a five-hole “shootout” Monday before donors took over the course at the Erik Compton Golf Classic.

“I thought that was a really cool thing,” Compton said, more about the shootout in general than how he took down the FedEx Cup points leader (Stanley) and someone whose on-course following (Fowler) ranks only behind Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

Some 200 people walked with the three pros – and celebrity participant Alonzo Mourning – one day after Stanley and Fowler wrapped up play at the TPC Blue Monster in the WGC-Cadillac Championship. Compton flew back from the Puerto Rico Open, where he tied for 42nd.

“I just think it’s a cool addition,” Compton said. “Not many [fundraising] tournaments do it like that.”

With Compton enjoying his first season of PGA Tour membership, it seemed like a good time to launch the event, earmarking proceeds for the Transplant Foundation. The organization raises funds for organ-transplant research and provides services for families affected by transplants.

Compton’s story is well told by now – twice now a heart-transplant recipient, first at age 12 and again four years ago when the first replacement heart ran its course. After nearly giving up the game while awaiting the second transplant, Compton earned his card via promotion from the Nationwide Tour.

“Every week on tour I see people that have had transplants, people that need transplants,” Compton told attendees. “Obviously I can’t visit them all – but when I play, I play for all of them.”

The Transplant Foundation – headed by Compton’s mother, Eli – did a fundraiser on a smaller scale last year with Compton on the Nationwide Tour road. With all 14 foursomes selling out Monday, the event looks like it’ll be around for a while.

“I’d like to see if we can get $100,000,” the golfer said. “I don’t know if we can get close to that this year, but there’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to generate that kind of money

“The community down here is great. If you can bring players in, that makes it kind of unique. People remember a tournament like that.”






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