Jul 10, 1978 CE
First Round Leaders
Jerry Pate and Ed Sneed shared the first-round lead after each shooting an opening round of 69 at the challenging Oakmont layout.
Chronological Storyline (8 Milestones)
Jul 10, 1978 CE
Tournament Begins at Oakmont
The 60th PGA Championship commenced at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, marking the fourth time the course hosted the PGA Championship.
Jul 11, 1978 CE
Second Round Action
Jerry Pate took the 36-hole lead at 138, two strokes ahead of the field, while Tom Watson and John Mahaffey remained within striking distance.
Jul 12, 1978 CE
Third Round - Watson Takes Command
Tom Watson fired a third-round 65 to take a two-stroke lead over Jerry Pate, with John Mahaffey trailing further behind heading into the final round.
Jul 13, 1978 CE
Final Round - Mahaffey's Comeback
John Mahaffey shot a final-round 66, while Tom Watson struggled with a 73, allowing Mahaffey to erase a seven-stroke deficit and tie Watson and Jerry Pate at 276, forcing a sudden-death playoff.
Jul 14, 1978 CE
Historic Comeback Victory
Mahaffey's seven-stroke comeback in the final round matched the largest final-round comeback in PGA Championship history at the time, cementing his place in golf history.
By John Mahaffey - Own photo of personally received autograph, PD, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=82506814
Jul 14, 1978 CE
Watson's Near Miss
Tom Watson, who had led after the third round, fell short in the playoff, continuing his quest for a PGA Championship title that would elude him throughout his career.
Jul 14, 1978 CE
Sudden-Death Playoff - Mahaffey Wins
John Mahaffey won his first major championship on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff, defeating Tom Watson and Jerry Pate to claim the 1978 PGA Championship title.