Larry Nelson finished -7 and took 15% of the purse. That $60,000 is worth about $219,242 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1981 PGA Championship purse was split
Every paid player in finishing order. The top 10 took 60% of the money, and the dashed line marks the smallest check.
1981 PGA 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 | Larry Nelson | -7 | $60,000 | $60,000 |
| 2 | Fuzzy Zoeller | -3 | $40,000 | $40,000 |
| 3 | Dan Pohl | -2 | $22,500 | $25,000 +11% |
| T4 | Jack Nicklaus | -1 | $13,146 | |
| T4 | Greg Norman | -1 | $13,146 | |
| T4 | Tom Kite | -1 | $13,146 | |
| T4 | Bruce Lietzke | -1 | $13,146 | |
| T4 | Isao Aoki | -1 | $13,146 | |
| T4 | Keith Fergus | -1 | $13,146 | |
| T4 | Bob Gilder | -1 | $13,146 | |
| T11 | Vance Heafner | E | $6,750 | |
| T11 | Andy North | E | $6,750 | |
| T11 | Jerry Pate | E | $6,750 | |
| T11 | Tommy Valentine | E | $6,750 | |
| 15 | J. C. Snead | +1 | $4,375 | $5,500 +26% |
| T16 | Hale Irwin | +2 | $4,875 | |
| T16 | David Edwards | +2 | $4,875 | |
| 18 | Bob Murphy | +3 | $4,500 | |
| T19 | John Cook | +4 | $3,631 | |
| T19 | Jay Haas | +4 | $3,631 | |
| T19 | Ray Floyd | +4 | $3,631 | |
| T19 | Joe Inman | +4 | $3,631 | |
| T19 | Don January | +4 | $3,631 | |
| T19 | Don Pooley | +4 | $3,631 | |
| T19 | Tom Purtzer | +4 | $3,631 | |
| T19 | Gil Morgan | +4 | $3,631 | |
| T27 | Peter Jacobsen | +5 | $2,850 | |
| T27 | Hubert Green | +5 | $2,850 | |
| T27 | Bobby Clampett | +5 | $2,850 | |
| T27 | Bill Rogers | +5 | $2,850 | |
| T27 | Curtis Strange | +5 | $2,850 | |
| T27 | Tom Weiskopf | +5 | $2,850 | |
| T33 | Lanny Wadkins | +6 | $2,250 | |
| T33 | Seve Ballesteros | +6 | $2,250 | |
| T33 | Bob Eastwood | +6 | $2,250 | |
| T33 | Mark Hayes | +6 | $2,250 | |
| T33 | Ed Fiori | +6 | $2,250 | |
| T33 | Greg Powers | +6 | $2,250 | |
| T39 | Lon Hinkle | +7 | $1,750 | |
| T39 | Terry Diehl | +7 | $1,750 | |
| T39 | Jim Thorpe | +7 | $1,750 | |
| T39 | D.A. Weibring | +7 | $1,750 | |
| T43 | Howard Twitty | +8 | $1,250 | |
| T43 | Dave Stockton | +8 | $1,250 | |
| T43 | Rod Curl | +8 | $1,250 | |
| T43 | David Graham | +8 | $1,250 | |
| T43 | Bruce Fleisher | +8 | $1,250 | |
| T43 | Calvin Peete | +8 | $1,250 | |
| T49 | Gary Player | +9 | $912 | |
| T49 | Jack Renner | +9 | $912 | |
| T49 | Wayne Levi | +9 | $912 | |
| T49 | Lee Elder | +9 | $912 | |
| T49 | Rex Caldwell | +9 | $912 | |
| T49 | Ron Streck | +9 | $912 | |
| 55 | Doug Tewell | +10 | $768 | $825 +7% |
| T56 | Mike Sullivan | +11 | $810 | |
| T56 | Jim Colbert | +11 | $810 | |
| T56 | Mark McCumber | +11 | $810 | |
| T56 | Mark Lye | +11 | $810 | |
| T56 | Tom Jenkins | +11 | $810 | |
| T61 | Roger Maltbie | +12 | $782 | |
| T61 | Don Padgett | +12 | $782 | |
| T61 | Mike Morley | +12 | $782 | |
| T61 | Danny Edwards | +12 | $782 | |
| T61 | John Fought | +12 | $782 | |
| T61 | Leonard Thompson | +12 | $782 | |
| T67 | Bobby Wadkins | +13 | $760 | |
| T67 | Al Geiberger | +13 | $760 | |
| T67 | Barry Jaeckel | +13 | $760 | |
| T70 | Mark O'Meara | +14 | $750 | |
| T70 | George Burns | +14 | $750 | |
| T70 | Ed Sneed | +14 | $750 | |
| 73 | George Cadle | +15 | $750 | |
| 74 | Charles Coody | +16 | $700 | $750 +7% |
| 75 | John Jackson | +17 | $700 | $750 +7% |
| 76 | Arnold Palmer | +18 | $700 | $750 +7% |
| 77 | Bruce Summerhays | +22 | $700 | $750 +7% |
| 78 | David Glenz | +26 | $750 | |
| MC | Jim Logue | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Bruce MacDonald | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Dave Haberle | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Lu Hsi-Chuen | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Nieberding | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Ulozas | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Albus | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Robinson | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Terry Florence | +22 | $0 | |
| MC | Howell Fraser | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | David Jimenez | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Joe Moresco | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Buddy Whitten | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Wintz | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Larry Ziegler | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Gene Borek | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Al Chandler | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Craig Stadler | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | John Schroeder | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Art Silvestrone | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Simons | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott Simpson | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Walzel | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Watson | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Barney Thompson | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | John Traub | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Peter Oosterhuis | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Masashi Ozaki | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Kevin Morris | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Nichols | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | John Nichols | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Lynn Janson | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Roger Kennedy | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Billy Kratzert | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Jack Lewis Jr. | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Johnny Miller | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Moreland | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Sandy Lyle | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | John Mahaffey | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Vic Lipscomb | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Gene Littler | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Bruce Devlin | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Ben Crenshaw | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Donald | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Dave Eichelberger | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Tim Collins | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Dave Barber | +20 | $0 | |
| MC | Miller Barber | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Dave Barr | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Benson | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Brad Bryant | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | George Archer | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Baker | +22 | $0 | |
| MC | Gibby Gilbert | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Larry Gilbert | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Ford | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Gene Ferrell | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | James Ferriell | +24 | $0 | |
| MC | Lou Graham | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Groh | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Hallberg | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott Hoch | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Lionel Hebert | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Laurie Hammer | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Phillip Hancock | +10 | $0 | |
| DQ | Lee Trevino | Not known | ||
| WD | Sam Snead | +9 | Not known | |
| WD | Cotton Dunn | +11 | Not known | |
| WD | Dan Halldorson | Not known | ||
| WD | Doug Ford | +9 | Not known | |
| WD | Frank Conner | Not known |
PGA Championship winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1981 PGA Championship payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1981 PGA Championship get?
Larry Nelson won $60,000 from a $401,050 purse.
What was the 1981 PGA Championship purse?
$401,050.
How much did last place get at the 1981 PGA Championship?
The smallest check was $750, to David Glenz (78).
How many players made the cut at the 1981 PGA Championship?
78 players made the cut and finished, and 65 players missed it.