Jason Gore earns PGA Tour card for stunning week
BY Bruce Young | Nationwide Tour | 2005 Cox Classic | Wrap | 08 Aug 2005
Jason Gore, who captured the hearts of the golfing world in June when he contended for so long at the US Open before shooting a final round 84 when playing in the final group with Retief Goosen, has today gained the benefit of that experience when he recorded his third consecutive win on the Nationwide Tour and gained immediate access to the PGA Tour.
Gore’s win at the Cox Classic in Omaha, Nebraska, was certainly no ordinary win. His total of 23 under was impressive enough, but it was how he arrived at that figure that was so amazing.
Gore’s opening round of 71 on a golf course where low scoring was very much the order of the day, gave little clue as to what was about to unfold. His second round of 59 – yes 59 – included a bogey at his 10th hole that day. He eagled the par four last on day two to break 60. On Saturday his three under par round of 68 must have felt mundane and again today when he started with two pars he still had a lot of ground to make up on the leaders. He was, after all, four shots behind the third round leader, Scot Petersen, but when he reached the third hole he commenced a run that would see him reel of eight consecutive birdies, a Nationwide Tour record, to sweep him to the lead.
The only man able to keep pace was Roger Tambellini, who would post a final round 64 to force the playoff with Gore. Gore won at the second extra hole and now, via the Battlefield Promotion where players winning three events in a season on the Nationwide Tour gain instant access to the PGA Tour, he is back from where he came two years ago. Gore has previously played on the PGA Tour in both 2001 and 2003 and he seems to have a new found belief, perhaps inspired by his Pinehurst showing, that will make his return to the main tour a more enjoyable journey.
Gore’s best ever PGA Tour finish was at the Invensy’s Classic in 2001 when 18th.
The best of the Australians was Greg Chalmers, who must look back at this week five years ago when he finished 4th at the USPGA Championship as a distant memory. Chalmers was 8th here but there were some good signs with two rounds of 65 amongst his total of 16 under par.
