John Mahaffey finished -13 and took 18% of the purse. That $162,000 is worth about $491,051 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1986 Tournament Players Championship purse was split
Every paid player in finishing order. The top 10 took 66% of the money, and the dashed line marks the smallest check.
1986 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 | John Mahaffey | -13 | $162,000 | $162,000 |
| 2 | Larry Mize | -12 | $97,200 | $97,200 |
| 3 | Tim Simpson | -8 | $61,200 | $61,200 |
| T4 | Jim Thorpe | -7 | $43,200 | $37,200 |
| T4 | Brett Upper | -7 | $43,200 | $37,200 |
| T4 | Tom Kite | -7 | $43,200 | $37,200 |
| T7 | John Cook | -6 | $27,112 | $28,050 |
| T7 | Jay Haas | -6 | $27,112 | $28,050 |
| T7 | Hal Sutton | -6 | $27,112 | $28,050 |
| T10 | Doug Tewell | -5 | $21,600 | |
| T10 | Payne Stewart | -5 | $21,600 | |
| T10 | Dave Rummells | -5 | $21,600 | |
| T10 | Bob Tway | -5 | $21,600 | |
| T14 | Scott Hoch | -4 | $16,200 | |
| T14 | Davis Love III | -4 | $16,200 | |
| T14 | Bob Murphy | -4 | $16,200 | |
| T17 | Ronnie Black | -3 | $12,600 | $13,950 |
| T17 | Joey Sindelar | -3 | $12,600 | $13,950 |
| T19 | Jim Simons | -2 | $12,150 | |
| T19 | David Edwards | -2 | $12,150 | |
| T21 | Keith Fergus | -1 | $7,628 | |
| T21 | Ray Floyd | -1 | $7,628 | |
| T21 | Danny Edwards | -1 | $7,628 | |
| T21 | Andy Bean | -1 | $7,628 | |
| T21 | Jim Colbert | -1 | $7,628 | |
| T21 | Charles Bolling | -1 | $7,628 | |
| T21 | Dick Mast | -1 | $7,628 | |
| T21 | Kenny Knox | -1 | $7,628 | |
| T21 | Gary Koch | -1 | $7,628 | |
| T21 | Tom Sieckmann | -1 | $7,628 | |
| T21 | Larry Rinker | -1 | $7,628 | |
| T21 | Lee Trevino | -1 | $7,628 | |
| T33 | D.A. Weibring | E | $4,654 | $4,654 |
| T33 | Tony Sills | E | $4,654 | $4,654 |
| T33 | Ken Green | E | $4,654 | $4,654 |
| T33 | Peter Jacobsen | E | $4,654 | $4,654 |
| T33 | Greg Norman | E | $4,654 | $4,654 |
| T33 | Mark O'Meara | E | $4,654 | $4,654 |
| T33 | Morris Hatalsky | E | $4,654 | $4,654 |
| T40 | Mike Donald | +1 | $3,154 | $3,240 |
| T40 | David Ogrin | +1 | $3,154 | $3,240 |
| T40 | Bernhard Langer | +1 | $3,154 | $3,240 |
| T40 | Bruce Lietzke | +1 | $3,154 | $3,240 |
| T40 | Loren Roberts | +1 | $3,154 | $3,240 |
| T40 | Jeff Sluman | +1 | $3,154 | $3,240 |
| T40 | Mike Sullivan | +1 | $3,154 | $3,240 |
| T40 | Lanny Wadkins | +1 | $3,154 | $3,240 |
| T48 | Dave Stockton | +2 | $2,262 | |
| T48 | Tom Purtzer | +2 | $2,262 | |
| T48 | Wayne Levi | +2 | $2,262 | |
| T48 | Roger Maltbie | +2 | $2,262 | |
| T48 | Mark Pfeil | +2 | $2,262 | |
| T48 | David Frost | +2 | $2,262 | |
| T54 | Ben Crenshaw | +3 | $2,061 | |
| T54 | Chris Perry | +3 | $2,061 | |
| T54 | Tim Norris | +3 | $2,061 | |
| T54 | Mark Wiebe | +3 | $2,061 | |
| T58 | Tom Watson | +4 | $1,971 | |
| T58 | Gil Morgan | +4 | $1,971 | |
| T58 | Nick Price | +4 | $1,971 | |
| T58 | Corey Pavin | +4 | $1,971 | |
| T58 | Mike Hulbert | +4 | $1,971 | |
| T58 | Frank Conner | +4 | $1,971 | |
| T64 | Paul Azinger | +5 | $1,872 | $1,890 |
| T64 | Dave Barr | +5 | $1,872 | $1,890 |
| T64 | Tommy Nakajima | +5 | $1,872 | $1,890 |
| T67 | Barry Jaeckel | +6 | $1,818 | |
| T67 | Ken Brown | +6 | $1,818 | |
| T67 | Chen Tze-chung | +6 | $1,818 | |
| T67 | Dennis Trixler | +6 | $1,818 | |
| T67 | J. C. Snead | +6 | $1,818 | |
| T72 | Greg Ladehoff | +8 | $1,755 | |
| T72 | Steve Pate | +8 | $1,755 | |
| 74 | Willie Wood | +9 | $1,728 | $1,728 |
| 75 | George Burns | +11 | $1,710 | |
| MC | Rex Caldwell | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Antonio Cerdá | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | John Adams | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Isao Aoki | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Kikuo Arai | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | George Archer | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Clampett | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Lennie Clements | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Russ Cochran | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Woody Blackburn | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Phil Blackmar | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Chip Beck | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Fred Couples | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Jay Delsing | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Andy Dillard | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Eastwood | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Dan Forsman | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Ed Fiori | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Brad Fabel | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Nick Faldo | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Brad Faxon | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Gallagher, Jr. | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Buddy Gardner | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Gilder | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Glasson | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Wayne Grady | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | David Graham | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Hubert Green | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Hayes | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Lon Hinkle | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Hallberg | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Dan Halldorson | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Calvin Peete | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Arnold Palmer | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Dan Pohl | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Don Pooley | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Larry Nelson | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Jack Nicklaus | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Andy North | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Mac O'Grady | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Jodie Mudd | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark McCumber | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Pat McGowan | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Johnny Miller | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Billy Kratzert | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Joe Inman | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Hale Irwin | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Israelson | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Lye | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Sandy Lyle | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Andrew Magee | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Pat Lindsey | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Lohr | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Fuzzy Zoeller | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Richard Zokol | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Howard Twitty | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott Verplank | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Wadkins | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Craig Stadler | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Curtis Strange | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Ron Streck | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Leonard Thompson | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Reid | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott Simpson | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Rogers | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Clarence Rose | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Sander | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Gene Sauers | +2 | $0 | |
| WD | Donnie Hammond | +10 | Not known |
The Players Championship winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1986 Tournament Players Championship payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1986 Tournament Players Championship get?
John Mahaffey won $162,000 from a $900,000 purse.
What was the 1986 Tournament Players Championship purse?
$900,000.
How much did last place get at the 1986 Tournament Players Championship?
The smallest check was $1,710, to George Burns (75).
How many players made the cut at the 1986 Tournament Players Championship?
75 players made the cut and finished, and 68 players missed it.