Tom Watson finished -18 and took 18% of the purse. That $63,000 is worth about $230,204 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1981 USF&G New Orleans Open 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 USF&G New Orleans Open 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 | Tom Watson | -18 | $45,000 | $63,000 +40% |
| 2 | Bruce Fleisher | -16 | $27,000 | $37,800 +40% |
| 3 | Gil Morgan | -15 | $17,000 | $23,800 +40% |
| 4 | Barry Jaeckel | -13 | $11,000 | $16,800 +53% |
| T5 | Lon Hinkle | -12 | $12,294 | |
| T5 | Jay Haas | -12 | $12,294 | |
| T5 | Fred Couples | -12 | $12,294 | |
| T5 | Ron Streck | -12 | $12,294 | |
| T9 | Rod Curl | -11 | $9,800 | |
| T9 | David Edwards | -11 | $9,800 | |
| T11 | Jim Dent | -10 | $6,950 | |
| T11 | Lou Graham | -10 | $6,950 | |
| T11 | Frank Conner | -10 | $6,950 | |
| T11 | Jim Barber | -10 | $6,950 | |
| T11 | Mike McCullough | -10 | $6,950 | |
| T11 | Mike Reid | -10 | $6,950 | |
| T11 | Bob Shearer | -10 | $6,950 | |
| T18 | Jim Simons | -9 | $4,564 | |
| T18 | J. C. Snead | -9 | $4,564 | |
| T18 | Lanny Wadkins | -9 | $4,564 | |
| T18 | Larry Ziegler | -9 | $4,564 | |
| T18 | Keith Fergus | -9 | $4,564 | |
| T23 | Mike Donald | -8 | $2,950 | |
| T23 | Brad Bryant | -8 | $2,950 | |
| T23 | Jerry McGee | -8 | $2,950 | |
| T23 | Jerry Heard | -8 | $2,950 | |
| T23 | Wayne Levi | -8 | $2,950 | |
| T23 | Mark O'Meara | -8 | $2,950 | |
| T23 | Greg Powers | -8 | $2,950 | |
| T30 | Peter Oosterhuis | -7 | $2,222 | |
| T30 | Bunky Henry | -7 | $2,222 | |
| T30 | Bruce Lietzke | -7 | $2,222 | |
| T30 | Bobby Clampett | -7 | $2,222 | |
| T34 | Roger Calvin | -6 | $1,768 | |
| T34 | Dave Eichelberger | -6 | $1,768 | |
| T34 | Nick Faldo | -6 | $1,768 | |
| T34 | Lonnie Nielsen | -6 | $1,768 | |
| T34 | Don Pooley | -6 | $1,768 | |
| T34 | Chi-Chi Rodríguez | -6 | $1,768 | |
| T40 | Pat Lindsey | -5 | $1,295 | |
| T40 | Scott Hoch | -5 | $1,295 | |
| T40 | Tom Jenkins | -5 | $1,295 | |
| T40 | Bob Eastwood | -5 | $1,295 | |
| T40 | Charles Coody | -5 | $1,295 | |
| T40 | Dave Barr | -5 | $1,295 | |
| T40 | Andy Bean | -5 | $1,295 | |
| T47 | Bruce Douglass | -4 | $925 | |
| T47 | Charlie Gibson | -4 | $925 | |
| T47 | Hubert Green | -4 | $925 | |
| T47 | Tommy Moore | -4 | Not known | |
| T47 | Fuzzy Zoeller | -4 | $925 | |
| T47 | D.A. Weibring | -4 | $925 | |
| T53 | Victor Regalado | -3 | $568 | $816 |
| T53 | Gary Hardin | -3 | $568 | $816 |
| T53 | Jim Booros | -3 | $568 | $816 |
| T53 | Beau Baugh | -3 | $568 | $816 |
| T53 | Stanton Altgelt | -3 | $568 | $816 |
| T58 | Tim Graham | -2 | $784 | |
| T58 | Dana Quigley | -2 | $784 | |
| T58 | George Cascino | -2 | $784 | |
| T61 | DeWitt Weaver | -1 | $540 | $763 |
| T61 | George Cadle | -1 | $540 | $763 |
| T61 | Gary Hallberg | -1 | $540 | $763 |
| T64 | Gary McCord | E | $528 | $732 |
| T64 | Allen Miller | E | $528 | $732 |
| T64 | David Lundstrom | E | $528 | $732 |
| T64 | Kermit Zarley | E | $528 | $732 |
| T64 | Skip Dunaway | E | $528 | $732 |
| T64 | Tim Simpson | E | $528 | $732 |
| T70 | Tom Jones | +1 | $498 | $704 |
| T70 | Pete Brown | +1 | $498 | $704 |
| 72 | R.W. Eaks | +6 | $490 | $693 +41% |
| MC | Danny Edwards | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Lee Elder | E | $0 | |
| MC | Clint Doyle | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Ben Duncan | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Ed Dougherty | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Thomas Gray | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Gibby Gilbert | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | Jaime Gonzalez | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Gove | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Forrest Fezler | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | Ed Fiori | E | $0 | |
| MC | Michael Brannan | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Bud Allin | E | $0 | |
| MC | Wally Armstrong | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Perry Arthur | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Butch Baird | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | George Burns | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Ben Crenshaw | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | Russ Cochran | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Colbert | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Cole | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | Darrell Kestner | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Klein | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Koch | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | Dave Hill | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Grier Jones | E | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Holland | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Buddy Gardner | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Morris Hatalsky | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Hayes | E | $0 | |
| MC | Vance Heafner | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Lye | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Loeffler | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | John Mahaffey | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | Roger Maltbie | E | $0 | |
| MC | Terry Mauney | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | John Mazza | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Lindy Miller | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Mitchell | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Jeff Mitchell | E | $0 | |
| MC | Tim Norris | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | Rod Nuckolls | E | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Murphy | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Melnyk | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Nichols | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Jack Slocum | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Ed Sneed | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | Ed Selser | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Smith | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Rohde | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Jack Renner | E | $0 | |
| MC | Alan Pate | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Sammy Rachels | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Preston | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Purtzer | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | Jimmy Powell | E | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Peck | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Calvin Peete | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Dan Pohl | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Pancratz | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Sale Omohundro | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | John McGough | E | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Trivisonno | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott Watkins | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | Howard Twitty | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | Tommy Valentine | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Wadkins | -1 | $0 | |
| MC | Craig Stadler | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Storey | E | $0 | |
| MC | Doug Tewell | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | David Thore | +4 | $0 | |
| DQ | Cesar Sanudo | +1 | Not known | |
| DQ | John Cook | -3 | Not known | |
| DQ | Bob Byman | +1 | Not known | |
| — | Rex Caldwell | Not known | ||
| — | Antonio Cerdá | Not known | ||
| — | Jim Chancey | Not known | ||
| — | Lennie Clements | Not known | ||
| — | John Adams | Not known | ||
| — | Richie Adham | Not known | ||
| — | Bob Beauchemin | Not known | ||
| — | Chip Beck | Not known | ||
| — | Woody Blackburn | Not known | ||
| — | Bill Britton | Not known | ||
| — | Jack Ferenz | Not known | ||
| — | Dan Frickey | Not known | ||
| — | Ted Goin | Not known | ||
| — | Dale Douglass | Not known | ||
| — | David Eger | Not known | ||
| — | Mike Nicolette | Not known | ||
| — | Craig Metz | Not known | ||
| — | Brent Murray | Not known | ||
| — | Rik Massengale | Not known | ||
| — | Artie McNickle | Not known | ||
| — | Lyn Lott | Not known | ||
| — | Wren Lum | Not known | ||
| — | Keith Lyford | Not known | ||
| — | John Lister | Not known | ||
| — | Jeff Hawkes | Not known | ||
| — | Jeff Hewes | Not known | ||
| — | Mike Harmon | Not known | ||
| — | Barry Harwell | Not known | ||
| — | Joe Hager | Not known | ||
| — | Doug Johnson | Not known | ||
| — | Don Levin | Not known | ||
| — | Robert Seligman | Not known | ||
| — | Eddie Pearce | Not known | ||
| — | Curtis Sifford | Not known | ||
| — | R. H. Sikes | Not known | ||
| — | Art Silvestrone | Not known | ||
| — | Loren Roberts | Not known | ||
| — | Bill Sander | Not known | ||
| — | Mick Soli | Not known | ||
| — | Bob Smith | Not known | ||
| — | Jim Paschal | Not known | ||
| — | John Traub | Not known | ||
| — | Skip Tredway | Not known | ||
| — | Allan Strange | Not known | ||
| — | Scott Stegner | Not known | ||
| — | Lance Ten Broeck | Not known | ||
| — | Dennis Trixler | Not known | ||
| — | Gary Wintz | Not known | ||
| — | Ralph Terry | Not known | ||
| — | Dave Fowler | Not known | ||
| — | Bill Lytle | Not known | ||
| — | Curtis Worley | Not known | ||
| WD | Barney Thompson | +5 | Not known | |
| WD | Leonard Thompson | +2 | Not known | |
| WD | Bobby Walzel | Not known | ||
| WD | Joe Inman | -2 | Not known |
Zurich Classic of New Orleans winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1981 USF&G New Orleans Open payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1981 USF&G New Orleans Open get?
Tom Watson won $63,000 from a $350,000 purse.
What was the 1981 USF&G New Orleans Open purse?
$350,000.
How much did last place get at the 1981 USF&G New Orleans Open?
The smallest check was $693, to R.W. Eaks (72).
How many players made the cut at the 1981 USF&G New Orleans Open?
72 players made the cut and finished, and 71 players missed it.