Jack Nicklaus finished +1 and took 17% of the purse. That $60,000 is worth about $305,588 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1978 Tournament Players Championship purse was split
Every paid player in finishing order. The top 10 took 62% of the money, and the dashed line marks the smallest check.
1978 Tournament Players Championship prize money for every player
Final positions and prize money, with what the same untied position paid the year before.
| Pos | Player | To par | Last year | Prize money |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jack Nicklaus | +1 | $60,000 | $60,000 |
| 2 | Lou Graham | +2 | $34,200 | $34,200 |
| 3 | Lon Hinkle | +3 | $17,700 | $21,300 +20% |
| T4 | Ben Crenshaw | +4 | $11,700 | |
| T4 | Larry Nelson | +4 | $11,700 | |
| T4 | Andy North | +4 | $11,700 | |
| T4 | John Schroeder | +4 | $11,700 | |
| 8 | Jim Colbert | +6 | $8,150 | $8,850 +9% |
| T9 | Hubert Green | +7 | $7,500 | |
| T9 | Peter Oosterhuis | +7 | $7,500 | |
| T9 | Victor Regalado | +7 | $7,500 | |
| T12 | Jerry Heard | +8 | $5,460 | |
| T12 | John Mahaffey | +8 | $5,460 | |
| T12 | Mike McCullough | +8 | $5,460 | |
| T12 | Florentino Molina | +8 | $5,460 | |
| T12 | Bobby Wadkins | +8 | $5,460 | |
| T17 | Lee Elder | +9 | $4,200 | |
| T17 | Phil Hancock | +9 | $4,200 | |
| T17 | Jerry Pate | +9 | $4,200 | |
| T20 | Danny Edwards | +10 | $2,892 | |
| T20 | David Graham | +10 | $2,892 | |
| T20 | Graham Marsh | +10 | $2,892 | |
| T20 | Mac McLendon | +10 | $2,892 | |
| T20 | Gil Morgan | +10 | $2,892 | |
| T20 | John Schlee | +10 | $2,892 | |
| T20 | Bob Shearer | +10 | $2,892 | |
| 27 | Rod Funseth | +11 | $2,310 | |
| T28 | Andy Bean | +12 | $1,791 | |
| T28 | Keith Fergus | +12 | $1,791 | |
| T28 | Gibby Gilbert | +12 | $1,791 | |
| T28 | Mark Hayes | +12 | $1,791 | |
| T28 | Joe Inman | +12 | $1,791 | |
| T28 | Tom Kite | +12 | $1,791 | |
| T28 | Lyn Lott | +12 | $1,791 | |
| T28 | Gary Player | +12 | $1,791 | |
| T28 | Alan Tapie | +12 | $1,791 | |
| T28 | Kermit Zarley | +12 | $1,791 | |
| T28 | Bob Zender | +12 | $1,791 | |
| T39 | Sam Adams | +13 | $1,290 | |
| T39 | Fred Marti | +13 | $1,290 | |
| T39 | Leonard Thompson | +13 | $1,290 | |
| T42 | Frank Conner | +14 | $1,082 | |
| T42 | Morris Hatalsky | +14 | $1,082 | |
| T42 | Hale Irwin | +14 | $1,082 | |
| T42 | Billy Kratzert | +14 | $1,082 | |
| T46 | Miller Barber | +15 | $975 | |
| T46 | Bobby Cole | +15 | $975 | |
| T46 | Charles Coody | +15 | $975 | |
| T46 | Don January | +15 | $975 | |
| T50 | Mike Morley | +16 | $945 | |
| T50 | Mark Pfeil | +16 | $945 | |
| T52 | Bob Eastwood | +17 | $910 | |
| T52 | Peter Jacobsen | +17 | $910 | |
| T52 | Artie McNickle | +17 | $910 | |
| T52 | Bill Rogers | +17 | $910 | |
| T52 | Jim Simons | +17 | $910 | |
| T57 | Jay Haas | +18 | $860 | |
| T57 | Steve Melnyk | +18 | $860 | |
| T57 | Mike Reid | +18 | $860 | |
| T57 | Ron Streck | +18 | $860 | |
| T57 | Tom Weiskopf | +18 | $860 | |
| 62 | Chi-Chi Rodríguez | +19 | $830 | |
| T63 | Wayne Levi | +20 | $810 | |
| T63 | Allen Miller | +20 | $810 | |
| T63 | Art Wall Jr. | +20 | $810 | |
| T66 | Don Bies | +21 | $770 | |
| T66 | Rex Caldwell | +21 | $770 | |
| T66 | Gary Groh | +21 | $770 | |
| T66 | Gary McCord | +21 | $770 | |
| T66 | Jerry McGee | +21 | $770 | |
| T71 | Tom Shaw | +22 | $750 | |
| T71 | J. C. Snead | +22 | $750 | |
| T73 | Rod Curl | +23 | $750 | |
| T73 | John Lister | +23 | $750 | |
| T75 | Homero Blancas | +24 | $750 | |
| T75 | Howard Twitty | +24 | $750 | |
| T77 | Forrest Fezler | +25 | $750 | |
| T77 | Arnold Palmer | +25 | $750 | |
| CUT | George Burns | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Dave Eichelberger | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Ray Floyd | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Mike Hill | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Rik Massengale | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Dwight Nevil | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Sammy Rachels | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Steve Taylor | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Tom Watson | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bill Calfee | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Billy Casper | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Jim Dent | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Terry Diehl | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Tom Jenkins | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bruce Lietzke | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Jeff Mitchell | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Joe Porter | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Tom Purtzer | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Jack Renner | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Dan Sikes | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Ed Sneed | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Wally Armstrong | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Butch Baird | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Don Iverson | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Grier Jones | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Orville Moody | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bob Payne | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Dave Stockton | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Curtis Strange | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Doug Tewell | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bobby Walzel | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bruce Devlin | +13 | $0 | |
| CUT | Barry Jaeckel | +13 | $0 | |
| CUT | Gary Koch | +13 | $0 | |
| CUT | Stan Lee | +13 | $0 | |
| CUT | Mark Lye | +13 | $0 | |
| CUT | Roger Maltbie | +13 | $0 | |
| CUT | Eddie Pearce | +13 | $0 | |
| CUT | Don Pooley | +13 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bob E. Smith | +13 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bobby Nichols | +14 | $0 | |
| CUT | Barney Thompson | +14 | $0 | |
| CUT | Larry Ziegler | +14 | $0 | |
| CUT | Tommy Aaron | +15 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bob Gilder | +15 | $0 | |
| CUT | George Knudson | +15 | $0 | |
| CUT | Johnny Miller | +15 | $0 | |
| CUT | Frank Beard | +16 | $0 | |
| CUT | Antonio Cerda Jr. | +16 | $0 | |
| CUT | Randy Erskine | +16 | $0 | |
| CUT | Dale Hayes | +16 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bob Murphy | +16 | $0 | |
| CUT | Ken Still | +16 | $0 | |
| CUT | Fuzzy Zoeller | +16 | $0 | |
| CUT | Lanny Wadkins | +17 | $0 | |
| CUT | Calvin Peete | +18 | $0 | |
| CUT | Tim Simpson | +18 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bob Wynn | +18 | $0 | |
| CUT | Ed Dougherty | +19 | $0 | |
| CUT | Craig Stadler | +20 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bill Mallon | +25 | $0 | |
| CUT | George Cadle | +26 | $0 | |
| WD | Lee Trevino | +9 | Not known | |
| WD | Gene Littler | Not known |
Tournament Players Championship winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1978 Tournament Players Championship payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1978 Tournament Players Championship get?
Jack Nicklaus won $60,000 from a $344,270 purse.
What was the 1978 Tournament Players Championship purse?
$344,270.
How much did last place get at the 1978 Tournament Players Championship?
The smallest check was $750, to Arnold Palmer (T77).
How many players made the cut at the 1978 Tournament Players Championship?
78 players made the cut and finished, and 62 players missed it.