Sandy Lyle finished -14 and took 18% of the purse. That $180,000 is worth about $526,325 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1987 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.
1987 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 | Sandy Lyle | -14 | $162,000 | $180,000 +11% |
| 2 | Jeff Sluman | -14 | $97,200 | $108,000 +11% |
| 3 | Mark O'Meara | -13 | $61,200 | $68,000 +11% |
| T4 | Greg Norman | -12 | $37,200 | $44,000 |
| T4 | Scott Simpson | -12 | $37,200 | $44,000 |
| 6 | Paul Azinger | -11 | $36,000 | |
| T7 | Bill Glasson | -10 | $28,050 | $32,250 |
| T7 | Dan Pohl | -10 | $28,050 | $32,250 |
| T9 | Tom Purtzer | -9 | $27,000 | |
| T9 | Ben Crenshaw | -9 | $27,000 | |
| T9 | Tom Kite | -9 | $27,000 | |
| T12 | Mark McCumber | -8 | $21,000 | |
| T12 | Larry Mize | -8 | $21,000 | |
| T12 | Brad Fabel | -8 | $21,000 | |
| T15 | Hubert Green | -7 | $16,000 | |
| T15 | Tommy Nakajima | -7 | $16,000 | |
| T15 | Steve Jones | -7 | $16,000 | |
| T15 | David Frost | -7 | $16,000 | |
| T15 | Mike Reid | -7 | $16,000 | |
| T20 | Mark Wiebe | -6 | $11,650 | |
| T20 | Morris Hatalsky | -6 | $11,650 | |
| T20 | Chris Perry | -6 | $11,650 | |
| T20 | Keith Clearwater | -6 | $11,650 | |
| T24 | Isao Aoki | -5 | $7,738 | |
| T24 | Ken Green | -5 | $7,738 | |
| T24 | Buddy Gardner | -5 | $7,738 | |
| T24 | Mike Hulbert | -5 | $7,738 | |
| T24 | Hale Irwin | -5 | $7,738 | |
| T24 | Bernhard Langer | -5 | $7,738 | |
| T24 | Hal Sutton | -5 | $7,738 | |
| T24 | Nick Price | -5 | $7,738 | |
| T32 | Jack Renner | -4 | $5,414 | |
| T32 | Gene Sauers | -4 | $5,414 | |
| T32 | Dave Rummells | -4 | $5,414 | |
| T32 | John Mahaffey | -4 | $5,414 | |
| T32 | Bob Gilder | -4 | $5,414 | |
| T32 | David Edwards | -4 | $5,414 | |
| T32 | Curt Byrum | -4 | $5,414 | |
| T39 | Scott Hoch | -3 | $4,400 | |
| T39 | Clarence Rose | -3 | $4,400 | |
| T41 | Don Pooley | -2 | $3,900 | |
| T41 | Mike Nicolette | -2 | $3,900 | |
| T41 | Bobby Cole | -2 | $3,900 | |
| T44 | Lennie Clements | -1 | $3,023 | |
| T44 | Chen Tze-chung | -1 | $3,023 | |
| T44 | Chip Beck | -1 | $3,023 | |
| T44 | Bob Murphy | -1 | $3,023 | |
| T44 | John Inman | -1 | $3,023 | |
| T44 | Bill Rogers | -1 | $3,023 | |
| T50 | Corey Pavin | E | $2,435 | |
| T50 | Rocco Mediate | E | $2,435 | |
| T50 | Mark Calcavecchia | E | $2,435 | |
| T50 | Jay Haas | E | $2,435 | |
| T54 | Andy Dillard | +1 | $2,061 | $2,270 |
| T54 | Bob Eastwood | +1 | $2,061 | $2,270 |
| T54 | Andy North | +1 | $2,061 | $2,270 |
| T54 | Barry Jaeckel | +1 | $2,061 | $2,270 |
| T54 | Mark Hayes | +1 | $2,061 | $2,270 |
| T54 | Fuzzy Zoeller | +1 | $2,061 | $2,270 |
| 60 | Russ Cochran | +2 | $2,200 | |
| T61 | Ken Brown | +3 | $2,170 | |
| T61 | Dan Forsman | +3 | $2,170 | |
| T63 | Mark Brooks | +4 | $2,130 | |
| T63 | Joey Sindelar | +4 | $2,130 | |
| T65 | Larry Rinker | +5 | $2,080 | |
| T65 | George Burns | +5 | $2,080 | |
| T65 | Seve Ballesteros | +5 | $2,080 | |
| 68 | Rodger Davis | +7 | $2,040 | |
| 69 | Blaine McCallister | +8 | $2,020 | |
| 70 | Dave Stockton | +9 | $2,000 | |
| 71 | Bob Lohr | +10 | $1,980 | |
| 72 | Sam Randolph | +14 | $1,755 | $1,960 +12% |
| MC | Curtis Strange | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | J. C. Snead | E | $0 | |
| MC | Craig Stadler | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Payne Stewart | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Sander | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Sieckmann | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Tim Simpson | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Richard Zokol | E | $0 | |
| MC | Willie Wood | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | John Adams | E | $0 | |
| MC | Doug Tewell | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Leonard Thompson | E | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Thorpe | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Lee Trevino | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Tway | E | $0 | |
| MC | Howard Twitty | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Brett Upper | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Wadkins | E | $0 | |
| MC | Lanny Wadkins | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Fred Wadsworth | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Denis Watson | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Watson | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | D.A. Weibring | E | $0 | |
| MC | Davis Love III | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Lye | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Andrew Magee | E | $0 | |
| MC | Wayne Levi | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Bruce Lietzke | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Kenny Knox | E | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Koch | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Lon Hinkle | E | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Gallagher, Jr. | E | $0 | |
| MC | Peter Jacobsen | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Pat McGowan | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Roger Maltbie | E | $0 | |
| MC | Dick Mast | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Johnny Miller | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Larry Nelson | E | $0 | |
| MC | Jack Nicklaus | E | $0 | |
| MC | Calvin Peete | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Pfeil | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | David Ogrin | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Pate | E | $0 | |
| MC | Jay Delsing | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Rick Dalpos | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Danny Edwards | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Donald | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Elkington | E | $0 | |
| MC | Brad Faxon | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Rick Fehr | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Ed Fiori | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Ray Floyd | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Hallberg | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Dan Halldorson | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Donnie Hammond | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Ernie Gonzalez | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | David Graham | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Dave Barr | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Andy Bean | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Ronnie Black | +3 | $0 | |
| MC | Phil Blackmar | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | Jay Don Blake | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Charles Bolling | +1 | $0 | |
| MC | George Archer | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | John Cook | E | $0 | |
| MC | Fred Couples | E | $0 | |
| MC | Antonio Cerdá | +2 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Byrum | E | $0 | |
| MC | Brian Claar | +4 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Clampett | E | $0 | |
| WD | Jim Colbert | +3 | Not known | |
| WD | Jodie Mudd | -2 | Not known |
The Players Championship winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1987 Tournament Players Championship payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1987 Tournament Players Championship get?
Sandy Lyle won $180,000 from a $1,000,000 purse.
What was the 1987 Tournament Players Championship purse?
$1,000,000.
How much did last place get at the 1987 Tournament Players Championship?
The smallest check was $1,960, to Sam Randolph (72).
How many players made the cut at the 1987 Tournament Players Championship?
72 players made the cut and finished, and 70 players missed it.