joint second, one off the lead. Cahill again faltered in the final round though still easily finished in the top ten. Unlike previous years, Cahill did not play on the European Tour. However, in July he did go to Scotland in an attempt to qualify for the 1978 Open Championship. Cahill was successful at the two-round qualifier. Cahill opened with rounds of 71 and 72 to make the cut. In the final round, Cahill made "one of the strongest finishes" of the tournament with six birdies to record a four-under-par 68. He finished at 286 (−2) and in a tie for 11th place. Cahill later said, "That 68 was probably my finest round." He was the second highest Australian in the field. Shortly thereafter, he returned to Australia. In October, Cahill played in two significant playoffs in the country. In late September, he began play at the four-round Golden Gate Classic at Coolangatta & Tweed Heads Golf Club. In the second round he shot a 65 (−7), tying his lowest round ever. It put him in fourth place, three back of leader Vaughan Somers. In the final round, Cahill was one behind clubhouse leader Somers on the final hole but "bravely" holed a 12-foot birdie putt to tie. A sudden-death playoff between Cahill and Somers ensued. The first three holes were halved with pars. Though it was "quite dark" they still played a fourth playoff hole. Both players missed the green and barely missed par putts. Administrators stated the playoff would be decided tomorrow morning. This "annoyed" Cahill who wanted the first prize money split. "It's crazy," he said. "It's not the US Open or a National Championship. It's a little tournament on the Gold Coast." The players intended to return at 9am the following day. On the fifth playoff hole − and first of the new day − Cahill made bogey. However, he "had a lucky escape" when Somers lipped out his four-metre par putt to win. On the following hole, a par-5, Cahill returned the favor by missing a one-metre birdie putt for the win. However, Cahill "made no mistake" on the following playoff hole, also a par-5, holing a one-metre birdie putt for the victory. The following week he played the Joe Jansen New South Wales PGA Championship at the par-67 Leonay Golf Course. He was considered one of the favorites. Cahill opened with rounds in the