A recipient of 2 heart transplants, Compton has already achieved his goal by wrapping up '12 PGA Tour card

The pressure is off Erik Compton this week. The 31-year-old former University of Georgia golfer knows he will be one of 25 players to receive PGA Tour playing privileges for 2012 after this week's Nationwide Tour Championship on Daniel Island.

But Compton's story has to be the most improbable of any of the 60 golfers participating in the season- ending event. Three years ago, Compton received his second heart transplant.

"Me being out here fighting and playing golf, that's sort of what my calling is, to be able to play the game at a high level with the physical ability I have," Compton said.

No one understands the need for organ donation better than Compton, whose commitment has earned him an even bigger platform next year when he will be promoting "Donate Life" and the "Transplant Foundation" on the PGA Tour.

A victim of cardiomyopathy (heart muscle disease), Compton received his first heart transplant in 1992 at age 12. The heart came from a 15-year-old girl killed by a drunken driver.

He took up golf with a passion, and by the time he was ready for college, Compton was the top-ranked junior golfer in the country.

In October 2007, Compton was fishing near his hometown of Miami when he felt a tingling in his arm. He called his mother, who told him to get to a hospital.

Compton was having a heart attack.

Five months later, he received his second heart transplant, this one coming from a former college volleyball player who was killed in a hit-and-run accident.

During his rehab, Compton met Barbara Casco, and they got married several months later. The two now have a 2 1/2-year-old daughter, Petra.

Compton, who turned professional in 2001 and won several Canadian Tour events, has had nearly three dozen opportunities to play in PGA Tour events and qualified for the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

But it wasn't until late June of this year that he got the monkey off his back. He shot a final-round 65 and beat Richard H. Lee by two shots to win the Nationwide Tour's Mexico Open. The $126,000 payday, coupled with a couple of other top-five finishes earlier in the year, virtually assured Compton of making the top 25 on the money list. He's currently 14th on the list with $226,696.

"It's kind of a weird feeling, knowing you have your card halfway through the season," he said. "I had a little bit of a setback (problems with his anti-rejection medications) in the middle of the year. I'm kind of looking forward to this season getting wrapped up."

Compton, who works out during the offseason, said he's in need of some rest. This week's Nationwide Tour Championship is his fourth straight event.

"I'm just happy to get a (PGA Tour) card finally. It's a lifelong dream," Compton said. "There are so many people that have been involved with my story, whether it's donors or doctors or family. To be a part of me winning, it's pretty special. It's hard to put it all into a story. I know I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the life of an organ donor. That's the most important thing. People don't realize how many lives they can save."

For more information on becoming an organ donor, go to donatelife.net or transplantfoundation.org.

Today's Tee Times

FIRST ROUND

At Daniel Island Club, Ralston Creek Course

8:25 a.m. - Alistair Presnell, Roger Tambellini; 8:34 - John Kimbell, Travis Hampshire; 8:43 - Justin Bolli, Craig Bowden; 8:52 - Greg Owen, Andrew Svoboda; 9:01 - Ryan Armour, Kirk Triplett; 9:10 - Camilo Benedetti; David Lingmerth; 9:19 - Steve Friesen, Aaron Goldberg; 9:28 - Casey Wittenberg, B.J. Staten; 9:37 - Aaron Watkins, Rob Oppenheim; 9:46 - Matt Hendrix, Bubba Dickerson; 9:55 - Jeff Gove, Will Wilcox; 10:04 - Brian Smock, Paul Claxton; 10:13 - Matt Davidson, Ken Duke; 10:22 - Brenden Pappas, Luke List; 10:31 - Richard H. Lee, Cliff Kresge; 10:40 - Marco Dawson, Darron Stiles; 10:49 - Josh Broadaway, Tommy Biershenk; 10:58 - Billy Hurley III, Brett Wetterich; 11:07 - James Nitties, Daniel Chopra; 11:16 - Scott Brown, Roberto Castro; 11:25 - Mark Anderson, Martin Flores; 11:35 - Steve Wheatcroft, Garth Mulroy; 11:45 - Gavin Coles, Matt Every; 11:55 - Kyle Thompson, Erik Compton; 12:05 p.m. - John Mallinger, Kyle Reifers; 12:15 - Troy Kelly, Russell Knox; 12:25 - Miguel Angel Carballo; Gary Christian; 12:35 - Jonas Blixt, Danny Lee; 12:45 - Mathew Goggin, Jason Kokrak; 12:55 - J.J. Killeen; Ted Potter Jr.

ERIK COMPTON

Age: 31.

Personal: Born in Miami.

College: Two-time All-American at Georgia

Pro career: Played in 35 PGA Tour events; qualified for 2010 U.S. Open; won Nationwide Tour's Mexico Open in June.

NATIONWIDE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Where: Daniel Island Club, Ralston Creek course

Schedule: Today-Sunday, play begins at 8:25 a.m. daily

Purse: $1 million total, winner receives $180,000

Tickets: Weekly passes $30, daily tickets $10

Television: The Golf Channel, 2:30-5 p.m. daily

Today's Tee Times

8:25 a.m. - Alistair Presnell, Roger Tambellini; 8:34 - John Kimbell, Travis Hampshire; 8:43 - Justin Bolli, Craig Bowden; 8:52 - Greg Owen, Andrew Svoboda; 9:01 - Ryan Armour, Kirk Triplett; 9:10 - Camilo Benedetti; David Lingmerth; 9:19 - Steve Friesen, Aaron Goldberg; 9:28 - Casey Wittenberg, B.J. Staten; 9:37 - Aaron Watkins, Rob Oppenheim; 9:46 - Matt Hendrix, Bubba Dickerson; 9:55 - Jeff Gove, Will Wilcox; 10:04 - Brian Smock, Paul Claxton; 10:13 - Matt Davidson, Ken Duke; 10:22 - Brenden Pappas, Luke List; 10:31 - Richard H. Lee, Cliff Kresge; 10:40 - Marco Dawson, Darron Stiles; 10:49 - Josh Broadaway, Tommy Biershenk; 10:58 - Billy Hurley III, Brett Wetterich; 11:07 - James Nitties, Daniel Chopra; 11:16 - Scott Brown, Roberto Castro; 11:25 - Mark Anderson, Martin Flores; 11:35 - Steve Wheatcroft, Garth Mulroy; 11:45 - Gavin Coles, Matt Every; 11:55 - Kyle Thompson, Erik Compton; 12:05 p.m. - John Mallinger, Kyle Reifers; 12:15 - Troy Kelly, Russell Knox; 12:25 - Miguel Angel Carballo; Gary Christian; 12:35 - Jonas Blixt, Danny Lee; 12:45 - Mathew Goggin, Jason Kokrak; 12:55 - J.J. Killeen; Ted Potter Jr.