By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM DUBLIN, Ohio -- Erik Compton spent last week on the driving range in the Texas heat trying to revamp his swing, making that sweeping arc flatter and shallower, all of which is a pretty dramatic deviation from his norm. Then Compton went out Thursday in the first round of the Memorial Tournament, trusted those changes he implemented and was rewarded with a 67 that was his low round of the year and left him one shot off the lead. The way the Compton looked at things, it was hardly a leap of faith. "If you live my life, you've learned how to trust a lot of things," Compton said simply. "I trust it every time I wake up that my heart is going to beat a certain way. I have to put a lot of trust in a lot of people, so why not trust myself?" The 33-year-old Compton, you see, wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for two heart transplants. And the second one happened to beat in the body of 26-year-old man named Isaac Klosterman, who was from Dayton, Ohio and lived in Columbus before the hit-and-run motorcycle accident in Florida that killed him. Seven months earlier, Compton had suffered a heart attack while out fishing. He very nearly didn't get to the hospital in time. Things were so critical, he called family members to say his good-byes. Then Isaac's heart gave Compton, who suffers from viral cardiomyopathy, another chance to follow his dream. He received the heart in May, 2008 and remembers watching the Memorial Tournament during his recovery. A year later, thanks to a sponsor's exemption offered by Jack Nicklaus, Compton was playing at Muirfield Village. "It's just a great story, obviously, and ... for me it's a special place," Compton said. "For me there's not a day that goes by that I don't think about my donor. To be able to play here, regardless of whether I play good or bad, it's just always a nice week. "To be here, my wife is here, she flew in, so ... maybe she's good luck, she brought me some good luck. I know there's a lot of people that are in the town that may be familiar with the story, so that's obviously always cool to play in front of people that are rooting for you." Wherever he plays, Compton is a living, breathing testament to the importance of organ donation. And as he often does, Compton spent Wednesday morning visiting young patients at the Nationwide Children's Hospital which is a few miles from Muirfield Village. Compton, who is a rookie on the PGA TOUR, is playing in his fourth Memorial Tournament this week. His round of 5 under featured a string of three straight birdies on the back nine and marked the first time he had broken 70 on Jack Nicklaus' signature course. Truth be told, Compton hasn't been particularly pleased with a rookie year where his best finish is a tie for 26th at The Honda Classic in his veritable hometown. But Compton trusts -- there's that word again -- he is making the right moves. "I think I have the talent, and just being able to put it together has always been difficult for me," Compton said. "And I think being out here on the PGA TOUR, if you see a lot of the guys that are consistent playing have a very compact swing that seems to have misses that go straight. I mean, look at Zach Johnson or even Jason Dufner, even Matt Kuchar. "These guys are all guys that I played college golf with, and they're kicking my butt out here, and I don't like that. So seeing how they're working on their game, and how their misses -- I think this is just a game of misses, and I've got to improve on my misses, and I did it today."

Got a question for Erik Compton? Send us your questions for Direct Connect — PGATOUR.COM’s video franchise that gets you closer to a PGA TOUR pro each week — and host John Swantek might use it when he chats this week with the 2012 rookie.

Compton, a two-time heart transplant recipient, has had a respectable rookie season, with eight cuts made in 12 starts. This will be his first start in the HP Byron Nelson Championship at the TPC Four Seasons Resort.

Direct Connect video will be posted each Wednesday afternoon on PGATOUR.COM.

By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM

HONOLULU -- Erik Compton finally has his PGA TOUR card, and at 6 p.m. ET on Thursday (1 p.m. locally), he will officially kick off his first full season on TOUR.

Considering everything he had to endure to get to the point -- you've probably heard that he's had two heart transplants -- you might think it would make a good book. Or movie.

"There's people that contacted me to do book deals," Compton said, "and when I was younger, people wanted to do a lifetime story."

But Compton said there's one problem -- the ending hasn't been written yet.

"I want to be out here to win at this level," he said, "and I don't think my story is quite done yet. ... It's just a tough story to write because it's still in the process."

Compton said the hype surrounding his return to golf following his second heart transplant in 2008 has slowed down, but he still recognizes he can help increase the importance of donating organs. That's why he's teamed up pharmaceutical company Genentec.

"We are trying to promote more organ donor awareness and trying to get more people to donate organs because there is a shortage," Compton said. "By me playing and being able to share my story, I think people will realize that it really is a real thing and it affects normal people every day."

Obviously, the more success he has this season, the more awareness he can create. For now, though, competing at the highest level of his sport is a good way to start.

"I think the competition is what keeps me from sitting on the couch and listening to my heart," Compton said.

"I talk to a lot of younger kids that have had transplants and you know, sometimes I sound to myself like I'm a little over the top, trying to push them to do something more than they want.

"I don't want to hurt anybody to push more than they have, but sometimes you need a good kick in the butt to be like, hey, I can be more than just an average person."

It's doubtful anybody will ever accuse Compton of simply being average.

Erik Compton, Russell Knox and Seung-yul Noh will tee off at 6 p.m. ET. Click here to follow them on ShotTracker

There are 20 career PGA TOUR victories among the players ranked No. 71-80 that were unveiled Saturday on PGATOUR.COM’s Top 100 Players to Watch in 2012. Unfortunately, just one of those wins came in 2011. Johnson Wagner’s victory at the Mayakoba Golf Classic was the lone TOUR victory among the group. Robert Garrigus, Chez Reavie, Steve Marino and Ryan Palmer each had at least one runner-up finish, though. Marino joins Erik Compton, Brendon de Jonge and Brian Davis as the four players in this group still seeking their first victory. Those four, however, have been knocking on the door. They have combined for 15 top-3 finishes in their carreers. Below is a link to each of the 10 players who were revealed on Saturday. PGATOUR.COM will countdown the players for the rest of December, with No. 1 unveiled on Dec. 30. Be sure to check out this year’s new addition of the Three Wise Men – Chris DiMarco, Arron Oberholser and Craig Perks, who offer their takes on each of the players on the list . Let’s us know how you think these players will perform in 2012 and whether we ranked ‘em too high, too low or just right. No. 71: Robert Garrigus No. 72: Heath Slocum No. 73: Stuart Appleby No. 74: Chez Reavie No. 75: Erik Compton No. 76: Brendon de Jonge No. 77: Steve Marino No. 78: Ryan Palmer No. 79: Brian Davis No. 80: Johnson Wagner CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE ARCHIVE PAGE/SCHEDULE FOR THE TOP 100 PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2012

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

NETOWN SQUARE, Pa. -- This week hasn’t exactly gone the way Erik Compton would have liked -- he’s 5 over through 11 holes in his second round after opening with a 76. But it’s also understandable given the exhorbtant demands on his time since winning on the Nationwide Tour last week, which will pretty much guarantee him a card on the PGA TOUR next season.

No matter his play this week, Compton’s journey has been nothing short of amazing.

Michael Hanzman, a friend and circuit court judge in Miami-Dade County who has helped Compton financially from the beginning, said sponsors weren’t exactly coming out of the woodwork when Compton had his second heart transplant in 2008, but he always believed in Compton.

“I really felt he had the ability to get a TOUR card,” Hanzman said via cell phone. “In 2008 I was just devastated for him, but he recovered and I still believed he was going to accomplish it despite the odds. I just know he has inner strength and character to do this.”

So while Compton won’t be around for the weekend at the AT&T National, he’ll be on TOUR plenty next season.

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. -- It’s understandable that Erik Compton would have a letdown after winning the Mexico Open on the Nationwide Tour last week and that’s exactly what happened Thursday a Aronimink, where he shot a 6-over 76.

“I didn't get much preparation for the tournament,” said Compton, whose week has been a whirlwind since he all but secure his PGA TOUR card for next season with last week’s victory. “I kind of knew that. Unfortunately I just didn't have much focus today.

“It was just kind of mixed emotions when you come off a win. I can't beat myself up too bad. I feel like I struck the ball okay, just the grind is out of me. It's hard to grind.”

It was an up and down day for sure for Compton, who had three bogeys, three double bogeys, one birdie and one eagle.

It’s been a busy week for Compton off the course, too, with interview requests and television appearances every day leading into the tournament. This also marks Compton’s fifth week in a row playing.

”I'm not so much tired, just mentally being on the road for five weeks,” Compton said. “I almost feel like today was my practice round, so maybe tomorrow I'll come out and shoot 4 or 5 under. “

By Zak Kozuchowski, PGATOUR.COM

Erik Compton continues to prove he has the skills necessary to compete on the PGA TOUR. He got off to a quick start at Aronomink with a birdie on its 430-yard opening hole and is currently 1 over through his first six holes on the tough track ( click here to follow him live with Shot Tracker ).

Compton is battling the emotions of winning his first Nationwide Tour event last week, the Mexico Open presented by Banamex. He’s also been subject to a great deal of media attention because of his health issues Compton was diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy at the age of nine, and has since undergone two heart transplants that have kept him alive. Because of his condition, Compton battles a lot of fatigue and has to pace himself.

He’s done that well this year. His win last week moved him to No. 2 on the Nationwide Tour money list, virtually assuring that he will earn his PGA TOUR card next year. This week, Compton is paired with Jim Furyk and Hunter Mahan, who are also 1 over.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Erik Compton had one of the day’s best rounds Friday with a 5-under 67 that has him on the edge of contention heading into the weekend at Bay Hill. It’s even more impressive when you take into account that Compton was apparently awake until roughly 4 a.m.

His lack of sleep, however, had little to do with the 75 he shot earlier Thursday.

“A little that, and there was a party going on next door,” Compton said. “When I knocked on the door at 4 in the morning they said, ‘Are you serious?’ And I said, ‘Hell, yes, I'm serious, knock it off.’"

Compton fought off the lack of sleep and made six birdies and just one bogey. He also got up and own a couple of times from the sand and took just 26 putts.

It also helped that the wind wasn’t blowing Friday morning, which wasn’t the case a day earlier.

”You could play more strategy golf,” Compton said. “[Thursday] was just hit it as far as you can down there and try to avoid the wind.

“And I've had a hot putter all week. I've been reading the greens pretty well.”

This is just Compton’s third start on the PGA TOUR this season. The double heart transplant recipient tied for 25th at the Northern Trust Open and tied for 55th at the Puerto Rico Open presented by seepuertorico.com two weeks ago.

”I'm in a great spot,” Compton said. “For me, this is a process. I have struggled on weekends, so if I can continue to have my strength going and a good putter, I feel like I can play well. But you know, I've got to do it before I can say it.” -- Brian Wacker