Insurance salesman Jason Gore is still pretty good at golf too

Jason Gore, who retired from golf to become an insurance salesman, is a shot behind leader Charles Howell III going into the final round of the RSM Classic in Georgia on Sunday.

Jason Gore thought his days of contending in PGA Tour events were behind him, and he was just fine with that. The 44-year-old veteran, however, now finds himself in a position he hasn’t been in for a long time: near the top of the leaderboard.

Gore goes into Sunday’s final round of the RSM Classic at Sea Island Golf Club in Georgia just a shot behind leader Charles Howell III. Gore began the third round on Saturday three behind Howell and was one-over thru his first nine holes, but made three birdies on the back nine and eagled the par-five 15th to shoot four-under 66.

Gore wasn’t even supposed to be here. Frustrated with his game and suffering through back problems, he quit pro golf and formed an insurance company, Kirkman-Gore Insurance, with his wife and a friend three years ago. He got his insurance license just last week. He was preparing to play a small event at Pebble Beach this weekend when he got a call Sunday night that he was receiving a sponsor’s exemption into the RSM Classic.

Despite giving up the game, Gore admits he’s completely satisfied with his current life at home in California with his wife and kids, Jaxon and Olivia.

“I love being a dad, I love being home, I like doing what we’re doing,” he told PGATour.com on Saturday. “We have a great new house and I have a great wife and two great kids, and it’s nice to wake up every morning and take them to school and not here, ‘Hey Dad, thanks for stopping by.”

Although he’s been a pro since 1997, Gore first attracted the notice of the golf world in 2005. He played in the final pairing on Sunday of the U.S. Open that year with Retief Goosen before shooting 84 and falling to 49th place. He won his lone PGA Tour event, the 84 Lumber Classic, three months later.

Gore has had more success on the Web.com Tour, where he is the all-time leader with seven wins, the last in 2010. Last year he made 13 starts on the Web.com, missing the cut in his last five events.

Knowing that he hasn’t been in this spot for so long, Gore admits he doesn’t know what to expect on Sunday. Only eight players have won a PGA Tour event on a sponsor’s exemption in the last 25 years.

“What am I going to do tomorrow? I’m going to show up,” he said. “I wish I could give you a profound answer. It’s not going to change my life. Well, it could change my life, but I’m not going to look at it that way.”

The 39-year-old Howell, himself without a PGA Tour win in 11 years, shot 68 on Saturday and has now led after all three rounds. Cameron Champ is tied with Gore at 15-under, one behind Howell. In contrast to the two veterans, the 23-year-old rookie Champ won his first PGA Tour event at the Sanderson Farms Championship three weeks ago.

The three contenders will tee off on Sea Island’s Seaside course at 11:30 a.m. EST on Sunday. Gore, for one, says he won’t be feeling any pressure and is just going to enjoy the experience, one it looked like he would never have again.

“I’ve been out here 20-something years. No matter what happens, I’m good with it,” he said.