Heart recipients share journey at Korn Ferry tourney in Springfield
Clay Yates hit one of his biggest golf shots Thursday morning.
But for the former Jacksonville High School and Southern Illinois University Carbondale golfer, it wasn’t in a competition.
Yates, a Springfield real estate agent and a 2019 heart transplant recipient, took the ceremonial first shot of the Memorial Health Championship at Panther Creek Country Club in Springfield.
Yates then followed golfer Erik Compton, who has had two heart transplants, during his round. The Miami native shot 6-under 65, with four birdies on his last six holes.
Yates met Compton at last year’s tournament, which is part of the Korn Ferry Tour.
“I’m very fortunate for the recovery that I’ve had. The heart’s been wonderful,” Yates said. “Occasionally, you have to stop and remind yourself of how fortunate you are to have a second chance at life. You don’t let the small things bother you as much.
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“It’s wonderful to see (Compton) out here playing at such a high level. That’s enjoyable to see.”
It’s not as easy as it looks, admitted Compton, 42, who finished tied for second at the 2015 U.S. Open at Pinehurst.
“It’s a constant head game (being out here),” he said. “You have to be mentally tough as a transplant recipient. I’m not feeling particularly well today, but if I listened to myself every time I didn’t feel well, I wouldn’t play half the time.
“There’s also the emotional aspect of it because you have trauma and uncertainty of being away from home and worry and stuff. Am I going to run into another problem?”
In 2007, Compton suffered a major heart attack and nearly died. He ended up driving himself to the hospital and called his mother to say goodbye.
That led to Compton’s second heart transplant — he had his first transplant at age 12 –and doctors told him to write off any return to major competition.
The next year, he was playing at The Masters, cheered on by texts from Tiger Woods. Jim Nantz told Compton’s story on the national broadcast.
“It’s nice to be able to help out and share our stories,” Compton said. “I probably make it look pretty easy and sometimes I don’t get recognized for how hard of a journey I have been on.
“But nobody knows what it’s like to walk in my shoes because there’s not very many of us. There are a lot of players with back issues and knee problems, but there aren’t a lot of transplant recipients.”
For Yates, 34, golf was a big part of his recovery process.
“I just imagined myself playing again,” Yates said. “It was always the motivation, living a somewhat normal life.”
Yates was on vacation in Colorado when he started experiencing shortness of breath. When he came back to Springfield, he couldn’t sleep lying down and had a buildup of fluid in his lungs.
“I thought I had allergies,” Yates said. “I went to Memorial not having any knowledge of any kind of heart disease and, of course, my world got flipped upside down and a month and a half later I was getting a transplant.”
Yates is still in contact with his heart donor’s family in Kansas City. He will attend a celebration of life for the donor later this fall.
Likewise, Compton is still in contact with the family of the second transplanted heart he received. Isaac Klosterman was a former college volleyball player who was killed at age 26 when the motorcycle he was riding was struck from behind by a hit-and-run driver.
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Compton said it was “cool” to see a fellow heart recipient take the ceremonial shot and to have Yates follow him on the golf course the better part of his round.
“It was great because when I got here this morning, for years, I’ve been the center of attention of the transplant community,” Compton said. “It was nice to see how many people came out (for Yates).
“It makes me feel good to be able to connect with other transplant recipients and donor families. I think it’s more related to golf with some transplant recipients. That’s when the connection happens.
“Obviously, this is a role I’ve carried. (Golfer) John Daly has his story and he’s recognized. I’m the ‘heart guy.'”
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, [email protected], twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
