Twitter campaign earns Gore an exemption to Northern Trust Open

The Twitter campaign that a fan waged to nab Jason Gore a sponsor’s exemption to the PGA Tour’s Northern Trust Open worked. Tournament officials announced Thursday, via Twitter and Facebook, that the California native would be in the starting lineup for next month’s contest at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

"NTRS Corp. awards seasoned @PGATour pro & local fan fav @JasonGore59 w/ @NTrustOpen Exemption," the tournament’s Twitter page revealed. "Congrats, Jason!"

Gore took to Twitter last Sunday to announce his desire for an invitation to the event. "Just signed up for the @ntrustopen qualifier, but you have NO IDEA how stoked I'd be to get a sponsors invitation!" Gore tweeted. "#myhometown #mymajor."

Jason Gore will tee it up at next month's Northern Trust Open, thanks to a successful Twitter campaign (Photo: Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

His request went viral after a fan, whom the Los Angeles Daily News’ Jill Painter identified by his @ghostofhogan Twitter name, suggested followers retweet Gore’s appeal. As Painter noted, celebrities including actor Don Cheadle, NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick, and several PGA and LPGA golfers sent Gore’s Twitter blast screaming around the web -- an action that caught the attention of organizers.

"Jason’s record and his strong local ties to Southern California put him on Northern Trust Corporation’s short list for a sponsor’s exemption since last year," the tourney’s executive director Jerry West said in a statement. "We are all pleased to see that his many fans on Twitter agreed that he is deserving of this exemption. We look forward to seeing all of Jason’s fans, which we are dubbing Gore’s Gallery, at the tournament next month at Riviera."

Gore, who gained eligibility to last year’s event via a Monday qualifier, submitted an official letter to organizers as well, Painter said. The Valencia resident and Pepperdine University grad gained renown during December’s qualifying tournament, when he fell one shot short of attaining his tour card by missing a long birdie putt on the final hole.

The Northern Trust Open will run from February 16-February 19.