Erik Compton earned his first PGA Tour start since 2016 after Monday-qualifying into this week’s Honda Classic.
Compton, a 39-year-old two-time heart-transplant recipient, shot 7-under 65 Monday at Banyan Cay Resort & Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., to share medalist honors with Canadian Drew Nesbitt. Compton eagled the par-5 18th hole to qualify and avoid a 7-for-2 playoff that will take place Tuesday morning and includes Blayne Barber, Sangmoon Bae and recent Web.com Tour Q-School medalist Danny Walker.
Compton hasn’t competed on Tour since the 2016 Sanderson Farms Championship. His only professional victory is a 2011 win on the Web.com Tour, where he has played since losing his Tour card in 2017. Compton recently led the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic before closing in 81 to finish T-25.
A Miami native, Compton has made five of six cuts at the Honda Classic. He last played PGA National in 2016 and tied for fourth in 2013.
Update:
The playoff lasted four holes and concluded Tuesday morning at Banyan Cay, with Barber and David Pastore earning the final spots in this week’s 144-man field at PGA National.
