Heart transplant survivor Erik Compton finally gets to play the Masters

It’s always fun to track the Masters rookies, who are usually some of the top prospects and up-and-coming talents in the game. But the rookie worth tracking the most this week might be 35-year-old Erik Compton. His story is pretty well-known by now, but Compton is a two-time heart transplant survivor. There have been several stretches in his life where he’s been near death, including an instance where he had to drive himself to the hospital while having a heart attack.

Compton has played some world class golf for a couple years now, and has found his spot on the most competitive tour in the world. He’s also played all the other major championships but had yet to tee it up at the Masters. That will end Thursday when, playing with the third different heart in his chest, the UGA alum will compete in the biggest tournament in golf. It’s obviously something he’s been dreaming about for a long time.

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