PGA Tour player Erik Compton, 43, found himself in legal trouble over the weekend, facing serious allegations of both felony and misdemeanor domestic violence.

What led to Compton allegedly assaulting his wife? 

In a report made by the Miami-Dade police department, they stated that an altercation between Compton and his wife, Yessinia Gonzalez, occurred on August 19th at their Miami residence. During the argument, Compton’s wife began recording the situation with her cellphone. Allegedly, Compton then forcibly seized the phone and threw it into a nearby pool. He then purportedly grabbed his wife by the shoulder and forcefully shoved her into a wall. Compton’s wife then sought refuge at a nearby friend’s residence, where she promptly contacted law enforcement for help.

When approached by the police, Compton exercised his right to legal counsel and declined to provide any statements regarding the alleged incident. Consequently, he was apprehended on charges of strong-armed robbery, which is classified as a felony, and a misdemeanor battery offense.

After his arrest, Compton was taken into custody at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami but was later released on bond.

In his 168 career starts on the PGA Tour, Compton has failed to take home any victories, but has managed to secure five top-10 finishes. One notable performance was his tie for second place at the 2014 U.S. Open, an event won by Martin Kaymer at Pinehurst, North Carolina.

In 2023, Erik Compton made appearances in two PGA Tour events. This last March, he finished tied for 29th place at the Corales Puntacana Championship, and in May, he placed tied for 63rd at the Charles Schwab Challenge.

Compton has faced significant health challenges due to a condition known as viral cardiomyopathy, which required him to receive two heart transplants, one in 1992 and then another in 2008.