The Masters is 81 years old. So it's hard to find a first anymore.
But it's safe to say Erik Compton is the first person to play in this tournament on his third heart.
“It’s kind hard to believe my first Masters is at 35,” said Compton. “With everything I’ve gone through, there’ve been times I thought I’d never play in the Masters.”
You can do the math. Compton is using his third heart. That means two were transplanted from someone else.
When he was 12 he had his first. Compton needed another one in 2008. That was seven years after he graduated from Georgia and turned pro.
He eventually fought his way through smaller minor league tours and earned his PGA TOUR card in 2012.
"I don't look at myself as somebody who is a role model," says Compton. "I look at myself as a golfer who has used golf as a means to maybe put some of the tough stuff that's happened to me in the past. Golf's been very therapeutic for me over the years."
The former All-American suffers from a condition called viral cardiomyopathy. No matter which heart he is using, it doesn't pump as much blood as it should.
But that means life on the course is not easy. He was to pace himself when he walks this giant, hilly grounds and has plenty of pills. In the past, Compton has been allowed to use a golf cart to get around, which isn't normally allowed.
But Erik says this week will be a normal week. At least for him.
"Meds in the morning and middle of the afternoon and at night. I've been doing that for 25 years, so it's nothing abnormal for me."
Compton has never won on the PGA Tour. But his best finish was second place in last year's US Open at Pinehurst. The top four qualify for the Masters. A fact that most golf fans are aware of, but evidently something not all golfers know about.
"I didn't know that my second place finish got me into the Masters until (NBC announcer) Mark Rolfing told me when I signed my scorecard," said Compton. "I was kind of oblivious the whole week. That's probably the best state of mind to be in when you want to play great golf."
So now Compton is playing in his first Masters. Like every other warm-blooded male who picks up a golf club, it's something he's wanted since he was a kid. But a goal that seemed taller than Augusta's pines.
"It was a bit difficult to watch so many years and think, I'm never going to play in the Masters, just because of other issues that I've had," said Compton. "But yet, I just love to watch the Masters. So it's going to be weird not watching the Masters this year."
Yes this place is much better in 3D. And he's got plenty of support too. The Bulldog Nation knows where its boys are.
"You'll have a lot of fans and people screaming, 'Go Dawgs.'" Very happy to be part of that and hopefully all of us will have a great week," Compton says.
Erik played his first practice round with Jim Fyurk on Monday but this is not the first time he's played here. Compton says he did get on a couple of times when he was at UGA and came back for a round a few weeks ago.
"It's almost like Disney World for a golfer. Like it's too perfect."
But not even the happiest place on Earth can bring out the emotions like Augusta can. Even for a round that doesn't matter.
"I saw my dad on the third hole. I haven't seen him in a few weeks. He was kind of emotional, said Compton. "It's a real treat to get an invitation to play in this tournament just because of how hard it is to get in here."
And for Compton, hard doesn't begin to describe it.