Scott Simpson finished -3 and took 18% of the purse. That $150,000 is worth about $438,604 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1987 U.S. Open purse was split
Every paid player in finishing order. The top 10 took 57% of the money, and the dashed line marks the smallest check.
1987 U.S. 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 | Scott Simpson | -3 | $115,000 | $150,000 +30% |
| 2 | Tom Watson | -2 | $47,646 | $75,000 +57% |
| 3 | Seve Ballesteros | +2 | $46,240 | |
| T4 | Ben Crenshaw | +3 | $26,269 | $24,543 |
| T4 | Bernhard Langer | +3 | $26,269 | $24,543 |
| T4 | Larry Mize | +3 | $26,269 | $24,543 |
| T4 | Bobby Wadkins | +3 | $26,269 | $24,543 |
| T4 | Curtis Strange | +3 | $26,269 | $24,543 |
| T9 | Jim Thorpe | +4 | $15,004 | |
| T9 | Tommy Nakajima | +4 | $15,004 | |
| T9 | Mac O'Grady | +4 | $15,004 | |
| T9 | Dan Pohl | +4 | $15,004 | |
| T9 | Lennie Clements | +4 | $15,004 | |
| T14 | Isao Aoki | +5 | $11,028 | $12,065 |
| T14 | Bob Eastwood | +5 | $11,028 | $12,065 |
| T14 | Tim Simpson | +5 | $11,028 | $12,065 |
| T17 | Nick Price | +6 | $9,747 | |
| T17 | Jim Woodward | +6 | $9,747 | |
| T17 | David Frost | +6 | $9,747 | |
| T17 | Mark Calcavecchia | +6 | $9,747 | |
| T17 | Masashi Ozaki | +6 | $9,747 | |
| T17 | Jodie Mudd | +6 | $9,747 | |
| T17 | Kenny Knox | +6 | $9,747 | |
| T24 | John Mahaffey | +7 | $6,462 | $7,720 |
| T24 | Peter Jacobsen | +7 | $6,462 | $7,720 |
| T24 | Don Pooley | +7 | $6,462 | $7,720 |
| T24 | Steve Pate | +7 | $6,462 | $7,720 |
| T24 | Jay Don Blake | +7 | $6,462 | $7,720 |
| T24 | Danny Edwards | +7 | $6,462 | $7,720 |
| T24 | Craig Stadler | +7 | $6,462 | $7,720 |
| T31 | Hal Sutton | +8 | $6,555 | |
| T31 | Tony Sills | +8 | $6,555 | |
| T31 | Dale Douglass | +8 | $6,555 | |
| T31 | Keith Clearwater | +8 | $6,555 | |
| T31 | Ken Green | +8 | $6,555 | |
| T36 | Rodger Davis | +9 | $5,626 | |
| T36 | John Cook | +9 | $5,626 | |
| T36 | Sandy Lyle | +9 | $5,626 | |
| T36 | Barry Jaeckel | +9 | $5,626 | |
| T36 | Scott Hoch | +9 | $5,626 | |
| T36 | Denis Watson | +9 | $5,626 | |
| T36 | Lanny Wadkins | +9 | $5,626 | |
| T43 | Sam Randolph | +10 | $4,857 | |
| T43 | Wayne Grady | +10 | $4,857 | |
| T43 | Ray Floyd | +10 | $4,857 | |
| T46 | Fred Couples | +11 | $4,240 | |
| T46 | Tom Kite | +11 | $4,240 | |
| T46 | Roger Maltbie | +11 | $4,240 | |
| T46 | Ralph Landrum | +11 | $4,240 | |
| T46 | Jack Nicklaus | +11 | $4,240 | |
| T51 | Gil Morgan | +12 | $3,462 | |
| T51 | Greg Norman | +12 | $3,462 | |
| T51 | Mark McCumber | +12 | $3,462 | |
| T51 | David Hobby | +12 | $3,462 | |
| T51 | David Graham | +12 | $3,462 | |
| T51 | Ed Dougherty | +12 | $3,462 | |
| T51 | Joey Sindelar | +12 | $3,462 | |
| T58 | Mike Smith | +13 | $3,178 | |
| T58 | Jack Renner | +13 | $3,178 | |
| T58 | Gene Sauers | +13 | $3,178 | |
| T58 | Duffy Waldorf | +13 | $3,178 | |
| T58 | Mark Wiebe | +13 | $3,178 | |
| T58 | Bob Gilder | +13 | $3,178 | |
| T58 | Ed Kirby | +13 | $3,178 | |
| T58 | Bob Lohr | +13 | $3,178 | |
| T66 | Mark McNulty | +14 | $2,761 | $3,165 |
| T66 | Russ Cochran | +14 | $2,761 | $3,165 |
| T68 | José María Olazábal | +15 | $2,761 | $3,165 |
| T68 | Bob Tway | +15 | $2,761 | $3,165 |
| T68 | Tom Purtzer | +15 | $2,761 | $3,165 |
| T71 | Jim Carter | +16 | $3,165 | |
| T71 | Donnie Hammond | +16 | $3,165 | |
| 73 | Gary Hallberg | +17 | $3,165 | |
| 74 | David Ogrin | +18 | $3,165 | |
| T75 | Dave Eichelberger | +20 | $3,165 | |
| T75 | Fred Wadsworth | +20 | $3,165 | |
| 77 | Dave Rummells | +21 | $3,165 | |
| MC | Loren Roberts | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Griffin Rudolph | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Joey Rassett | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Reid | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Ivan Smith | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Alan Tapie | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Brian Tennyson | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Doug Tewell | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott Steger | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Payne Stewart | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Lee Trevino | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Kirk Triplett | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott Verplank | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | D.A. Weibring | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim White | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Larry Emery | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | John Morse | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | John Kudysch | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Kevin Klier | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Aebli | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Norm Becker | +20 | $0 | |
| MC | John Grund | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott Hazledine | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Robert Wrenn | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Fuzzy Zoeller | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Robert Gaona | +22 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Gotsche | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Joel Edwards | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Donald | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Jerry Haas | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Hubert Green | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Glasson | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Ernie Gonzalez | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Brian Fogt | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Fred Funk | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Brandel Chamblee | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Chen Tze-chung | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | David Canipe | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Colbert | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Frank Conner | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Charles Bolling | +20 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Booros | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Boyd | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Brady | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Britton | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Brooks | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Bart Bryant | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Buttner | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Paul Azinger | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Adam Adams | +21 | $0 | |
| MC | Buddy Alexander | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Andy Bean | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Chip Beck | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Bergin | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Roy Biancalana | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Don Bies | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Jay Overton | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Greg Parker | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Andy North | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark O'Meara | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Calvin Peete | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Pinns | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Greg Powers | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Lunn | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Lye | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Nicolette | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Larry Nelson | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Jeff Maggert | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | P.H. Horgan III | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Hulbert | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Hale Irwin | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Darrell Kestner | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Miles | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Johnny Miller | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Lehman | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Koch | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Krueger | +8 | $0 | |
| WD | Corey Pavin | Not known | ||
| WD | Dave Barr | +2 | Not known |
U.S. Open winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1987 U.S. Open payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1987 U.S. Open get?
Scott Simpson won $150,000 from a $825,000 purse.
What was the 1987 U.S. Open purse?
$825,000.
How much did last place get at the 1987 U.S. Open?
The smallest check was $3,165, to Dave Rummells (77).
How many players made the cut at the 1987 U.S. Open?
77 players made the cut and finished, and 77 players missed it.