Lanny Wadkins finished -5 and took 16% of the purse. That $72,000 is worth about $329,610 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1979 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.
1979 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 | Lanny Wadkins | -5 | $60,000 | $72,000 +20% |
| 2 | Tom Watson | E | $34,200 | $43,200 +26% |
| 3 | Jack Renner | +1 | $21,300 | $27,200 +28% |
| 4 | Phil Hancock | +3 | $11,700 | $19,200 +64% |
| T5 | Billy Kratzert | +5 | $14,600 | |
| T5 | Wayne Levi | +5 | $14,600 | |
| T5 | Lee Trevino | +5 | $14,600 | |
| 8 | Andy Bean | +6 | $8,850 | $12,400 +40% |
| T9 | Jay Haas | +7 | $7,500 | $10,800 |
| T9 | Tom Kite | +7 | $7,500 | $10,800 |
| T9 | Jack Newton | +7 | $7,500 | $10,800 |
| T12 | Mike McCullough | +8 | $5,460 | $8,800 |
| T12 | Gil Morgan | +8 | $5,460 | $8,800 |
| T14 | George Burns | +9 | $6,600 | |
| T14 | Ed Fiori | +9 | $6,600 | |
| T14 | Ray Floyd | +9 | $6,600 | |
| T14 | Peter Jacobsen | +9 | $6,600 | |
| T14 | Graham Marsh | +9 | $6,600 | |
| T14 | Victor Regalado | +9 | $6,600 | |
| T20 | Rex Caldwell | +10 | $2,892 | $4,035 |
| T20 | Hubert Green | +10 | $2,892 | $4,035 |
| T20 | Gary Koch | +10 | $2,892 | $4,035 |
| T20 | Larry Nelson | +10 | $2,892 | $4,035 |
| T20 | Andy North | +10 | $2,892 | $4,035 |
| T20 | Jerry Pate | +10 | $2,892 | $4,035 |
| T20 | Tim Simpson | +10 | $2,892 | $4,035 |
| T20 | Howard Twitty | +10 | $2,892 | $4,035 |
| T28 | Jim Colbert | +11 | $1,791 | $2,720 |
| T28 | Lindy Miller | +11 | $1,791 | $2,720 |
| T28 | John Schroeder | +11 | $1,791 | $2,720 |
| T28 | Alan Tapie | +11 | $1,791 | $2,720 |
| T28 | Jim Thorpe | +11 | $1,791 | $2,720 |
| T33 | Gibby Gilbert | +12 | $2,310 | |
| T33 | Jack Nicklaus | +12 | $2,310 | |
| T35 | Bob Byman | +13 | $1,847 | |
| T35 | Charles Coody | +13 | $1,847 | |
| T35 | Marty Fleckman | +13 | $1,847 | |
| T35 | Bruce Fleisher | +13 | $1,847 | |
| T35 | Mark McCumber | +13 | $1,847 | |
| T35 | Jim Nelford | +13 | $1,847 | |
| T35 | Mike Reid | +13 | $1,847 | |
| T35 | Dave Stockton | +13 | $1,847 | |
| T43 | Miller Barber | +14 | $1,248 | |
| T43 | Bobby Cole | +14 | $1,248 | |
| T43 | Lee Elder | +14 | $1,248 | |
| T43 | Bob Gilder | +14 | $1,248 | |
| T43 | Lou Graham | +14 | $1,248 | |
| T43 | Orville Moody | +14 | $1,248 | |
| T43 | Ron Streck | +14 | $1,248 | |
| T50 | Randy Erskine | +15 | $945 | $950 |
| T50 | David Graham | +15 | $945 | $950 |
| T50 | Morris Hatalsky | +15 | $945 | $950 |
| T50 | Mark Lye | +15 | $945 | $950 |
| T50 | Arnold Palmer | +15 | $945 | $950 |
| T50 | Cesar Sanudo | +15 | $945 | $950 |
| T50 | Jim Simons | +15 | $945 | $950 |
| 57 | Don January | +16 | $860 | $904 +5% |
| T58 | Allen Miller | +17 | $892 | |
| T58 | Kermit Zarley | +17 | $892 | |
| T60 | Bob Eastwood | +18 | $864 | |
| T60 | Mark Hayes | +18 | $864 | |
| T60 | Gary McCord | +18 | $864 | |
| T60 | Pat McGowan | +18 | $864 | |
| T60 | Artie McNickle | +18 | $864 | |
| T65 | Buddy Gardner | +19 | $836 | |
| T65 | Barney Thompson | +19 | $836 | |
| T67 | Al Geiberger | +20 | $820 | |
| T67 | Craig Stadler | +20 | $820 | |
| T69 | Dan Halldorson | +21 | $804 | |
| T69 | Rik Massengale | +21 | $804 | |
| 71 | Bob Murphy | +24 | $750 | $792 +6% |
| CUT | Don Bies | +4 | $0 | |
| CUT | Danny Edwards | +4 | $0 | |
| CUT | David Edwards | +4 | $0 | |
| CUT | Dave Eichelberger | +4 | $0 | |
| CUT | Hale Irwin | +4 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bruce Lietzke | +4 | $0 | |
| CUT | Jeff Mitchell | +4 | $0 | |
| CUT | Florentino Molina | +4 | $0 | |
| CUT | Peter Oosterhuis | +4 | $0 | |
| CUT | Chi-Chi Rodríguez | +4 | $0 | |
| CUT | Curtis Strange | +4 | $0 | |
| CUT | Leonard Thompson | +4 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bobby Wadkins | +4 | $0 | |
| CUT | Larry Ziegler | +4 | $0 | |
| CUT | Wally Armstrong | +5 | $0 | |
| CUT | Dave Barr | +5 | $0 | |
| CUT | Billy Casper | +5 | $0 | |
| CUT | Ben Crenshaw | +5 | $0 | |
| CUT | Rod Curl | +5 | $0 | |
| CUT | Jim Dent | +5 | $0 | |
| CUT | Keith Fergus | +5 | $0 | |
| CUT | Rod Funseth | +5 | $0 | |
| CUT | Mike Hill | +5 | $0 | |
| CUT | Don Iverson | +5 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bob Lunn | +5 | $0 | |
| CUT | Mike Morley | +5 | $0 | |
| CUT | Eddie Pearce | +5 | $0 | |
| CUT | Scott Simpson | +5 | $0 | |
| CUT | J. C. Snead | +5 | $0 | |
| CUT | Brad Bryant | +6 | $0 | |
| CUT | Fred Marti | +6 | $0 | |
| CUT | Johnny Miller | +6 | $0 | |
| CUT | Mark Pfeil | +6 | $0 | |
| CUT | Greg Powers | +6 | $0 | |
| CUT | Carlton White | +6 | $0 | |
| CUT | Fuzzy Zoeller | +6 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bill Calfee | +7 | $0 | |
| CUT | Frank Conner | +7 | $0 | |
| CUT | Joe Inman | +7 | $0 | |
| CUT | John Lister | +7 | $0 | |
| CUT | Tom Purtzer | +7 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bill Rogers | +7 | $0 | |
| CUT | Terry Diehl | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Mac McLendon | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Steve Melnyk | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Lee Mikles | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Calvin Peete | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Gary Player | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Don Pooley | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Ed Sneed | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | D.A. Weibring | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bob Mann | +9 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bobby Walzel | +9 | $0 | |
| CUT | Tommy Aaron | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Homero Blancas | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | George Cadle | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Barry Jaeckel | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Mike Sullivan | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Lon Hinkle | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Tom Weiskopf | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Joe Hager | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Jerry Heard | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Ed Sabo | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Seve Ballesteros | +13 | $0 | |
| CUT | Dale Douglass | +13 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bob Shearer | +13 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bob Zender | +14 | $0 | |
| CUT | Frank Beard | +15 | $0 | |
| CUT | Jeff Hewes | +15 | $0 | |
| CUT | Dave Hill | +15 | $0 | |
| CUT | Alan Pate | +20 | $0 | |
| CUT | Bob Wynn | +20 | $0 |
Tournament Players Championship winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1979 Tournament Players Championship payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1979 Tournament Players Championship get?
Lanny Wadkins won $72,000 from a $440,000 purse.
What was the 1979 Tournament Players Championship purse?
$440,000.
How much did last place get at the 1979 Tournament Players Championship?
The smallest check was $792, to Bob Murphy (71).
How many players made the cut at the 1979 Tournament Players Championship?
71 players made the cut and finished, and 72 players missed it.