European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 08, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A thriller tuesday August 8, 1978 the stars and stripes Page 21 Mahaffey beats Watson Pate for title in sudden death finish by Bob Green Umont a. Cap John Mahaffey d the second extra Hole sunday an three Man sudden death playoff for i pea National championship la Fey the hard Luck Guy who once his career was Over had to com shots off the Pace to tie Tom Watson Rry Pate and Force the playoff three finished the regulation 72 holes the rain soaked Oakmont country12768 under Par. Laffey a baby laced Battler who a Rouch younger than his 30 years up the most ground with a Brilliante shot 68 Over the last 18, including a bogey on the 72nd Hole that set up the. Watson who had led by 4 strokes Only nine holes to play had a closing was the first Man to congratulate Fey his Long time dose Friend a. Playing in front of Mahaffey and m on a Cloudy threatening Day in Pennsylvania appeared to have be in his grasp when he slipped in a 6-Irdie putt on the 71st Hole t put him one ahead. And he played Adown the Middle of the 18th, put his d on the Green below the cup but with Ridge separating him and the Hole. His first putt Slid by some 2 3  his wife. Soozi watched in anguished fascination he missed the Short one that would have won it outright. He glanced her Way in the gallery. He tearful face was covered by her hands. I m  he said with a rueful  opened the door for Watson and Mahaffey. Each reached the Green in two and each 2-putted for Par. Watson leaving his first putt Short. It set up the first three Man sudden death playoff in any major event and the first Between three player since the 1966 masters. The first Hole went to pars though the were of the scrambling variety for Watson and  got his approach in the fringe and had to Chip. Watson was Short in  played up to about 4-5 feet. After Pate had safely 2-putted for Par they had to make those Tough ones to Send it to the second  missed the Green with his second but ran his third close to the Hole. Watson missed his Birdie. Then it went to Mahaffy a. He had a putt of 10-12 feet for the Birdie that would resurrect his golfing life. And he made  dropped it in the cup and went leap ing into the arms of his Caddy shouting i sheer Joy above the yells of the milling surging  was Only the second Victory of Mahaffey s troubled career and almost certainly the sweetest hell Ever have. It brought him Back from golfing oblivion. He came out on the tour in 1971 an quickly established himself As one of the game s brightest  slightly built Man whose Boyish appearance belies a fiercely competitive nature broke through with a Victory in the 1973 Sahara won $100,000 or More three years in a Row and let numerous Victory chances slip through his  of them almost destroyed him. He lost the 1975 . Open in an 18-Holeplayoff to Lou Graham. Emma Hoftey. Talks of troubled past it was a Long Road Back for pea s new Champ by Pohla Smit Oakmont a. Up John Mahaffey promised himself just a month ago he never again talk about his troubled past. But sunday after winning the 60th pm championship on the second Hole of a sudden death playoff with Tom Watson and Jerry Pate at Oakmont country club the 30-year-old Mahaffey told reporter she d run through it just one More time. He had no Choice since Pate had jus said he Felt he had caused Mahaffey s de Dine by overtaking him in the last round Towin the 1976 . Open at Atlanta athletic  so said Mahaffey. It was just a combination of events be said. A divorce from his first wife a playoff rivalry heats up dodgers Knock giants it of 1st in hot race Bykens Rappoport a sports write moving to the West coast in the u50s, the los Angeles dodgers an Francisco giants Haven t had too glowing moments reminiscent of flaming rivalry in new York is season however is different they once did at ebbets Field and the grounds the dodgers and giants Are g the Best out of their association the crowds Are Loving each compete non want. I sunday $4,723 showed up at Candle Park in san Francisco to watch the or beat the giants 5-1 and put More squeeze on the hot National league race a defeat knocked the giants out of Ataee for the first time since june 8,Jig Cincinnati to move into the top