OMAHA, Neb. -- Jason Gore walked off the 18th green and into the Nationwide Tour record books Sunday at the $625,000 Cox Classic presented by Chevrolet.

The affable Gore fired a final-round 8-under-par 63 to finish in a tie with Roger Tambellini (64) at 23-under-par 261. After both players parred the first playoff hole, Gore then drained a four-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole for an unprecedented third straight winning start.

“That’s pretty cool, isn’t it,” said Gore, repeating his favorite phrase, used as recently as Friday after his record-tying 12-under-par 59. “It has been an amazing stretch. Hopefully I’m not just on a hot streak. Hopefully I’ve learned how to play golf and we’ll go from here.”

Gore began the day four shots off the lead. After pars on the first two holes, he reeled off eight consecutive birdies -- just one off the Tour record held by Omar Uresti -- to move into a three-shot lead with eight to play.

“I played well on the holes I had to,” said the 31-year-old native of Van Nuys, Calif. “That was my only chance to get back in the golf tournament.”

With Tambellini making a late charge with birdies on Nos. 16 and 17, a birdie by Gore on his final hole was necessary to finish at 23-under. He rose to the occasion, nailing an 8-iron to 15 feet for the birdie and the tie. He then watched from the 18th hole scoring area as Tambellini failed to birdie the last hole for the win.

“I really wanted to make that putt,” said Gore. “It was an incredible tournament. From day one it was an incredible week and it came down to a great finish between two really good friends.”

After an opening-round even-par 71, Gore became just the third player in Tour history to record the magical 59. Weekend rounds of 68-63 were then enough to propel Gore into the winner’s circle for the third time this year, making him the seventh player to earn the Performance Promotion -- an immediate ticket to the PGA TOUR. While not in the PGA Championship field this week, Gore is expected to take a week off before teeing it up in the TOUR’s Reno-Tahoe Open.

Gore’s victory caps off what can only be described as the ride of a lifetime. Occupying the No. 58 spot on the Tour money list following the LaSalle Bank Open in June, it was then that his life changed.

En route to the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, Gore had his car broken into shortly after checking into a hotel in Asheville, N.C. That served only as a speed bump for what the future held. Gore garnered the “Prince of Pinehurst” label for his excellent play at the major championship.

Despite a disappointing 84 in the final round, Gore walked away from North Carolina having gained more than just a legion of new fans -- a much needed dose of confidence. With three wins in his last three starts, he now heads to the PGA TOUR with even more confidence in his game.

Jason Gore's win earns him an automatic berth to the PGA TOUR. (Aiken/WireImage)

“We’ll go out there and maybe have a little experience under our belt,” said Gore, making his third trip to the big show. “You just try to learn from every round you play. Hopefully I’ve learned a lot here recently. I’m definitely looking forward to Reno.”

Following a tie for 10th place at the Lake Erie Charity Classic, Gore began his record-breaking run of three straight winning starts at the National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic, followed by a victory at the Scholarship America Showdown and capped it off with his historical win on Sunday. With the victory, he collects $112,500 and moves from fourth to first on the Tour money list with $356,579.

Adding to his accomplishments, the victory moves the former Pepperdine University standout to the top of the Tour victories list, joining Sean Murphy and Matt Gogel with six career wins.

Gore’s peers were left in awe with his performance the week in Omaha.

“He has the force on his side right now,” said Tambellini, who moves to No. 13 on the money list after collecting the $67,500 runner-up prize. “He is playing great right now. It is good to get him off this Tour and on the PGA TOUR. It will be nice to play next week without him.”

In the end, Gore proved why he has become not only a media darling as of late, but one of the most likable players in Nationwide Tour history.

“I love the Nationwide Tour,” said Gore. “I’ve got a lot of good friends out here. I hope they join me on the PGA TOUR soon.”

Final Round News & Notes: Three of the seven players to earn the Performance Promotion have done so at the Cox Classic. Gore joins Chris Smith (1997) and Heath Slocum (2001) on the list of players performing the feat in Omaha. Other players on the three-win list include Chad Campbell (2001), Pat Bates (2001), Patrick Moore (2002) and Tom Carter (2003) ... Jon Mills (tied for third) has now finished inside the top five in four of his last five starts, and inside the top 10 in six of his last nine starts. He is now No. 5 on the Tour money list … John Mallinger posted his third consecutive top-25 finish and will play next week in Springfield based on his tie for third finish Sunday … The Nationwide Tour heads to Springfield, Missouri this week for the Price Cutter Charity Championship, the 20th of 31 official events this season

Jason Gore’s Accomplishments this week in Omaha:
• Becomes the seventh player in Tour history to win the Tour’s Performance Promotion.
•Joins Matt Gogel and Sean Murphy with a Tour-leading six career wins.
•On Friday, became the third player in Tour history to record a 59, joining Notah Begay III and Doug Dunakey.
•Overtakes Chris Couch for the top spot on the Tour money list with $356,579.