Bill Rogers finished -4 and took 12% of the purse. That $50,000 is worth about $182,701 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1981 World Series of Golf 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.
1981 World Series of Golf 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 | Bill Rogers | -4 | $50,608 | $50,000 -1% |
| 2 | Bernhard Langer | E | $35,425 | $35,000 -1% |
| T3 | Ray Floyd | +3 | $23,786 | $23,500 |
| T3 | Mark James | +3 | $23,786 | $23,500 |
| 5 | Sam Torrance | +4 | $17,207 | $17,000 -1% |
| T6 | Manuel Piñero | +5 | $15,688 | $15,500 |
| T6 | Bruce Lietzke | +5 | $15,688 | $15,500 |
| T8 | Howard Clark | +6 | $13,158 | $13,000 |
| T8 | Ben Crenshaw | +6 | $13,158 | $13,000 |
| T8 | Brian Jones | +6 | $13,158 | $13,000 |
| T11 | Lee Trevino | +7 | $10,122 | $10,000 |
| T11 | Nick Faldo | +7 | $10,122 | $10,000 |
| T11 | Isao Aoki | +7 | $10,122 | $10,000 |
| T14 | Sandy Lyle | +8 | $6,559 | $6,480 |
| T14 | David Graham | +8 | $6,559 | $6,480 |
| T14 | Brian Barnes | +8 | $6,559 | $6,480 |
| T14 | Eamonn Darcy | +8 | $6,559 | $6,480 |
| T14 | Nick Job | +8 | $6,559 | $6,480 |
| T19 | Peter Townsend | +9 | $4,073 | $4,025 |
| T19 | Graham Marsh | +9 | $4,073 | $4,025 |
| T19 | Gordon Brand Jr. | +9 | $4,073 | $4,025 |
| T19 | Jerry Pate | +9 | $4,073 | $4,025 |
| T23 | Arnold Palmer | +10 | $3,453 | $2,438 |
| T23 | Jack Nicklaus | +10 | $3,453 | $2,438 |
| T23 | Tom Watson | +10 | $3,453 | $2,438 |
| T23 | Nick Price | +10 | $3,453 | $2,438 |
| T23 | Mark McNulty | +10 | $3,453 | $2,438 |
| T23 | Hubert Green | +10 | $3,453 | $2,438 |
| T23 | Simon Owen | +10 | $3,453 | $2,438 |
| T23 | Tony Jacklin | +10 | $3,453 | $2,438 |
| T31 | Des Smyth | +11 | $2,480 | $1,750 |
| T31 | John Morgan | +11 | $2,480 | $1,750 |
| T31 | Greg Norman | +11 | $2,480 | $1,750 |
| T31 | Trevor Powell | +11 | $2,480 | $1,750 |
| T35 | Bob Charles | +12 | $1,966 | $1,388 |
| T35 | Masashi Ozaki | +12 | $1,966 | $1,388 |
| T35 | Billy Dunk | +12 | $1,966 | $1,388 |
| T35 | Tommy Horton | +12 | $1,966 | $1,388 |
| T39 | Florentino Molina | +13 | $1,672 | $1,180 |
| T39 | Neil Coles | +13 | $1,672 | $1,180 |
| T39 | Johnny Miller | +13 | $1,672 | $1,180 |
| T39 | Seve Ballesteros | +13 | $1,672 | $1,180 |
| T39 | Rodger Davis | +13 | $1,672 | $1,180 |
| T44 | Ken Brown | +14 | $1,630 | $1,150 |
| T44 | Terry Gale | +14 | $1,630 | $1,150 |
| T44 | Ron Streck | +14 | $1,630 | $1,150 |
| T47 | Hal Sutton | +15 | $1,630 | Not known |
| T47 | Jaime Gonzalez | +15 | $1,630 | $1,150 |
| T47 | Mark O'Meara | +15 | $1,630 | $1,150 |
| T50 | David Jones | +16 | $1,630 | $1,133 |
| T50 | Brian Waites | +16 | $1,630 | $1,133 |
| T50 | David Thorp | +16 | $1,630 | $1,133 |
| T53 | Eddie Polland | +17 | $1,559 | $1,100 |
| T53 | Garry Cullen | +17 | $1,559 | $1,100 |
| T53 | Mike Ferguson | +17 | $1,559 | $1,100 |
| T56 | Warren Humphreys | +18 | $1,559 | $1,100 |
| T56 | Noel Hunt | +18 | $1,559 | $1,100 |
| T58 | Geoffrey Godwin | +19 | $1,559 | Not known |
| T58 | John O'Leary | +19 | $1,559 | $1,100 |
| T58 | Payne Stewart | +19 | $1,559 | $1,100 |
| 60 | Dick McLean | +23 | $1,100 | |
| MC | Bill Longmuir | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Hugh Baiocchi | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Gordon Brand Jr. | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Maurice Bembridge | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Vicente Fernández | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Bernard Gallacher | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Dale Hayes | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Michael King | +20 | $0 | |
| MC | John Bland | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Stewart Ginn | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Noel Ratcliffe | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Stephen Keppler | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Peter Barber | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Tienie Britz | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | David Ingram | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Juan Anglada | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Paul Carrigill | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Andrew Chandler | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Ian Young | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Massimo Mannelli | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Martin | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Nick Brown | +22 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill McColl | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Lawrence Farmer | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Ian Mosey | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Antonio Garrido | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Philip Walton | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | David Russell | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Manuel Calero | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Carl Mason | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Ross Drummond | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Miller | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Roger Chapman | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Andrew Sherborne | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | David Williams | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Martin Poxon | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Craig Stadler | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Player | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Paul Thomas | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Manuel Ballesteros | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Peter Oosterhuis | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | José María Cañizares | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Rafe Botts | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Harold Henning | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Mitchell | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Chris Moody | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Thomas | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | David Jagger | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | John Fowler | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Ross Whitehead | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Carlo Knauss | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | David Blakeman | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Charles Cox | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Garry Logan | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Stephen Rolley | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Tony Minshall | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Graeme Pook | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | John Ambridge | +20 | $0 | |
| MC | John Heib | +22 | $0 | |
| MC | Dudley Millensted | +23 | $0 | |
| DQ | Jimmy Heggarty | +5 | Not known |
The Open winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1981 World Series of Golf payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1981 World Series of Golf get?
Bill Rogers won $50,000 from a $400,000 purse.
What was the 1981 World Series of Golf purse?
$400,000.
How much did last place get at the 1981 World Series of Golf?
The smallest check was $1,100, to Dick McLean (60).
How many players made the cut at the 1981 World Series of Golf?
61 players made the cut and finished, and 60 players missed it.