Erik Compton received his first invite to play in the Masters this year and made his tournament debut at Augusta National on Thursday. The 35-year-old journeyman golfer must have been especially prescient as a child, because Compton apparently knew at a young age that one day he would be playing in the greatest tournament in all of golf.
Compton provided evidence of his childhood prediction that he would at some point walk the grounds of the revered course by tweeting out a drawing he did as a kid.
Golf Digest notes that it looks like Compton was envisioning himself playing Augusta’s No. 2, Pink Dogwood. Could be?
I drew this when I was a kid, and now the day is here. It was worth the wait! @TheMasters #DonateLife pic.twitter.com/JnAh6o70yy
— Erik Compton (@ErikCompton3) April 9, 2015
Compton received his first Masters invite after finishing tied for second at the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. What makes Compton’s arrival at Augusta National so impressive — not to mention his entire professional golfing career — is that he has undergone two heart transplants in his life — at 12 years old and again at 28 — after being diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy at the age of 9.
Compton said it really struck home that he would be playing in the Masters when he drove up Magnolia Lane on Monday ahead of a practice round.
“It’s every boy’s dream to play in the Masters,” Compton said. “When you drive in to register, getting to the first tee, seeing all the fans and really appreciating the golf course. It’s almost like Disney World for a golfer. You get this, it’s like too perfect.”
Especially in light of his childhood drawing.
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