PGA Golfer Erik Compton Arrested for Alleged Domestic Violence, Robbery

PGA Tour golfer Erik Compton was arrested at his home in Miami on Saturday after an argument with his wife, according to Reuters. Miami-Dade police said Compton and his wife were having a verbal dispute when she began filming the exchange on her cellphone. Compton allegedly took the phone and threw it in a pool before grabbing his wife by the shoulder and pushing her into a wall. Compton's wife left the home before calling the police from a friend's home. The 43-year-old golfer is charged with a felony county of strong-armed robbery and misdemeanor battery. Compton was booked at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami before being released on bond. 

Compton became a professional golfer in 2001. In his career, Compton has recorded no wins and five top-10 finishes in 168 career stars on the PGA Tour. His best finish in a major was tied for second at the 2014 U.S. Open won by Martin Kaymer. This year, Compton has competed in two PGA Tour events in 2023, finished tied for 29th at the Corales Puntacana Championship in March and tied for 63rd at the Charles Schwab Challenge in May. 

In 2015, Compton talked about competing in the Masters for the first time after having two heart transplants. "I don't think words can really describe what it means to me and what it means to my dad and coach and family," Compton said at the time per the Athens Banner-Herald. "Now that I'm going to be able to do that and I'm healthy … I really won't know until I'm there. I know there's going to be a lot of emotion for the family. For me, the Masters is this huge thing because it symbolizes the accomplishment of just being able to be in that arena."

Compton went on to talk about not having too much anticipation when it comes to playing in the biggest tournament of the year. "There's a lot of expectation going into the Masters for all of the players," he said. "I've always been good at compartmentalizing that, not making it too much of an expectation. In the back of my mind I know that Augusta isn't until April and I don't know if I'll make it to April. That's how I live my life. I have a ticket to the Masters, but I'm not there right now. You know what I mean? I know that's hard for people to understand, but that's how I live my life."