In 1988 The Open Championship didn’t count as official PGA Tour money, so this prize money isn’t part of anyone’s official PGA Tour total for the season.
The Open paid its prize money in pounds. Amounts are shown in US dollars, converted at the 1988 average rate of $1.78 per pound, with the original amount in pounds beside each one.
Seve Ballesteros finished -11 and took 16% of the purse. That $142,504 is worth about $400,360 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1988 Open Championship purse was split
Every paid player in finishing order. The top 10 took 54% of the money, and the dashed line marks the smallest check.
1988 Open 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 | Seve Ballesteros | -11 | $136,000 | $142,504 +5% £80,000 |
| 2 | Nick Price | -9 | $102,000 | $106,878 +5% £60,000 |
| 3 | Nick Faldo | -5 | $79,900 | $83,721 +5% £47,000 |
| T4 | Fred Couples | -3 | $56,950 | $59,674 £33,500 |
| T4 | Gary Koch | -3 | $56,950 | $59,674 £33,500 |
| 6 | Peter Senior | -2 | $45,900 | $48,095 +5% £27,000 |
| T7 | Isao Aoki | -1 | $35,700 | $37,407 £21,000 |
| T7 | David Frost | -1 | $35,700 | $37,407 £21,000 |
| T7 | Sandy Lyle | -1 | $35,700 | $37,407 £21,000 |
| T7 | Payne Stewart | -1 | $35,700 | $37,407 £21,000 |
| T11 | Brad Faxon | E | $28,050 | $29,391 £16,500 |
| T11 | David J. Russell | E | $28,050 | $29,391 £16,500 |
| T13 | Larry Nelson | +1 | $23,800 | $24,938 £14,000 |
| T13 | Eduardo Romero | +1 | $23,800 | $24,938 £14,000 |
| T13 | Curtis Strange | +1 | $23,800 | $24,938 £14,000 |
| T16 | Andy Bean | +2 | $17,850 | $18,704 £10,500 |
| T16 | Ben Crenshaw | +2 | $17,850 | $18,704 £10,500 |
| T16 | Don Pooley | +2 | $17,850 | $18,704 £10,500 |
| T16 | José Rivero | +2 | $17,850 | $18,704 £10,500 |
| T20 | Gordon Brand Jnr | +3 | $11,900 | $12,469 £7,000 |
| T20 | Bob Charles | +3 | $11,900 | $12,469 £7,000 |
| T20 | Rodger Davis | +3 | $11,900 | $12,469 £7,000 |
| T20 | Tom Kite | +3 | $11,900 | $12,469 £7,000 |
| T20 | Bob Tway | +3 | $11,900 | $12,469 £7,000 |
| T25 | Jack Nicklaus | +4 | $9,350 | $9,797 £5,500 |
| T25 | Ian Woosnam | +4 | $9,350 | $9,797 £5,500 |
| 27 | Mark O'Meara | +5 | $8,840 | $9,263 +5% £5,200 |
| T28 | Tommy Armour III | +6 | $7,820 | $8,194 £4,600 |
| T28 | Chip Beck | +6 | $7,820 | $8,194 £4,600 |
| T28 | Jim Benepe | +6 | $7,820 | $8,194 £4,600 |
| T28 | Howard Clark | +6 | $7,820 | $8,194 £4,600 |
| T28 | Mark McNulty | +6 | $7,820 | $8,194 £4,600 |
| T28 | Tom Watson | +6 | $7,820 | $8,194 £4,600 |
| T34 | Wayne Riley | +7 | $7,055 | $7,392 £4,150 |
| T34 | Lanny Wadkins | +7 | $7,055 | $7,392 £4,150 |
| T36 | Gordon J. Brand | +8 | $6,715 | $7,036 £3,950 |
| T36 | José María Olazábal | +8 | $6,715 | $7,036 £3,950 |
| T38 | Ken Brown | +9 | $5,874 | $6,156 £3,456 |
| T38 | Wayne Grady | +9 | $5,874 | $6,156 £3,456 |
| T38 | Jay Haas | +9 | $5,874 | $6,156 £3,456 |
| T38 | Brian Marchbank | +9 | $5,874 | $6,156 £3,456 |
| T38 | Graham Marsh | +9 | $5,874 | $6,156 £3,456 |
| T38 | Corey Pavin | +9 | $5,874 | $6,156 £3,456 |
| T38 | Ronan Rafferty | +9 | $5,874 | $6,156 £3,456 |
| T38 | Noel Ratcliffe | +9 | $5,874 | $6,156 £3,456 |
| T38 | David A. Russell | +9 | $5,874 | $6,156 £3,456 |
| T47 | Paul Azinger | +10 | $5,433 £3,050 | |
| T47 | Paul Kent | +10 | $5,433 £3,050 | |
| T47 | Mark McCumber | +10 | $5,433 £3,050 | |
| T47 | Andy North | +10 | $5,433 £3,050 | |
| T47 | Sam Torrance | +10 | $5,433 £3,050 | |
| T52 | Peter Fowler | +11 | $4,988 £2,800 | |
| T52 | Hubert Green | +11 | $4,988 £2,800 | |
| T52 | Johnny Miller | +11 | $4,988 £2,800 | |
| T52 | Philip Walton | +11 | $4,988 £2,800 | |
| T52 | Fuzzy Zoeller | +11 | $4,988 £2,800 | |
| T57 | Paul Broadhurst Amateur | +12 | Not known | |
| T57 | Carl Mason | +12 | $4,676 £2,625 | |
| T57 | Mike Smith | +12 | $4,676 £2,625 | |
| T60 | Gary Player | +13 | $4,498 £2,525 | |
| T60 | Craig Stadler | +13 | $4,498 £2,525 | |
| T62 | Simon Bishop | +14 | $4,275 £2,400 | |
| T62 | Mark James | +14 | $4,275 £2,400 | |
| T62 | Andrew Sherborne | +14 | $4,275 £2,400 | |
| 65 | Manuel Piñero | +15 | $4,097 £2,300 | |
| 66 | Paul Carman | +17 | $2,210 | $4,008 +81% £2,250 |
| T67 | Greg Bruckner | +18 | $3,825 | $3,874 £2,175 |
| T67 | Hsieh Chin-sheng | +18 | $3,825 | $3,874 £2,175 |
| 69 | Bernhard Langer | +19 | $3,741 £2,100 | |
| 70 | Gary Stafford | +21 | $3,570 | $3,652 +2% £2,050 |
| 71 | Peter Mitchell | +24 | $3,485 | $3,563 +2% £2,000 |
| CUT | Ian Baker-Finch | +7 | $0 | |
| CUT | David Ishii | +7 | $0 | |
| CUT | Hajime Meshiai | +7 | $0 | |
| CUT | Larry Mize | +7 | $0 | |
| CUT | Lee Trevino | +7 | $0 | |
| CUT | Alberto Binaghi | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | John Bland | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Andrew Chandler | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Joe Higgins | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Mats Lanner | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Andrew Magee | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Christy O'Connor Jnr | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Craig Parry | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Scott Verplank | +8 | $0 | |
| CUT | Roger Chapman | +9 | $0 | |
| CUT | Derrick Cooper | +9 | $0 | |
| CUT | Jamie Howell | +9 | $0 | |
| CUT | Tony Johnstone | +9 | $0 | |
| CUT | Davis Love III | +9 | $0 | |
| CUT | Mike Reid | +9 | $0 | |
| CUT | Mark Roe | +9 | $0 | |
| CUT | Gerry Taylor | +9 | $0 | |
| CUT | Russell Weir | +9 | $0 | |
| CUT | Magnus Persson Atlevi | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Eamonn Darcy | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Robert Lee | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Johan Ryström | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Ove Sellberg | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Richard Thompson | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Lucien Tinkler | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Clive Tucker | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Teddy Webber | +10 | $0 | |
| CUT | Hugh Baiocchi | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Peter Baker | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Ron Commans | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | James Cook Amateur | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Denis Durnian | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Ray Floyd | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Trevor Fostor Amateur | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | Peter McWhinney | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | David Williams | +11 | $0 | |
| CUT | David Armstrong | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | David Gilford | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Cristian Härdin Amateur | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | John Morgan | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Tony Nash Amateur | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | Hal Sutton | +12 | $0 | |
| CUT | José María Cañizares | +13 | $0 | |
| CUT | David Jones | +13 | $0 | |
| CUT | Gordon Townhall | +13 | $0 | |
| CUT | Markus Agren | +14 | $0 | |
| CUT | Peter Akakasiaka | +14 | $0 | |
| CUT | Neil Burke | +14 | $0 | |
| CUT | Mike Harwood | +14 | $0 | |
| CUT | Leif Hederström | +14 | $0 | |
| CUT | Lindsay Mann | +14 | $0 | |
| CUT | David Thore | +14 | $0 | |
| CUT | James White | +14 | $0 | |
| CUT | Anders Forsbrand | +15 | $0 | |
| CUT | Ged Furey | +15 | $0 | |
| CUT | Lu Chien-soon | +15 | $0 | |
| CUT | Andy Rogers | +15 | $0 | |
| CUT | Michael Allen | +16 | $0 | |
| CUT | Chris Moody | +16 | $0 | |
| CUT | Steve Pate | +16 | $0 | |
| CUT | Steen Tinning | +16 | $0 | |
| CUT | Tony Jacklin | +17 | $0 | |
| CUT | José Cabo | +18 | $0 | |
| CUT | Mark Calcavecchia | +18 | $0 | |
| CUT | Andrew Cotton | +18 | $0 | |
| CUT | David Graham | +18 | $0 | |
| CUT | Roger Mackay | +18 | $0 | |
| CUT | Mark Mouland | +18 | $0 | |
| CUT | Charles Rymer Amateur | +18 | $0 | |
| CUT | Sandy Stephen | +18 | $0 | |
| CUT | Alan McCloskey | +19 | $0 | |
| CUT | David Whelan | +19 | $0 | |
| CUT | Neil Hansen | +20 | $0 | |
| CUT | Barry Lane | +21 | $0 | |
| CUT | Darren Prosser Amateur | +21 | $0 | |
| CUT | Robert Richardson | +21 | $0 | |
| WD | Wayne Smith | +10 | Not known |
The Open Championship winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1988 Open Championship payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1988 Open Championship get?
Seve Ballesteros won $142,504 from a $890,650 purse.
What was the 1988 Open Championship purse?
$890,650.
How much did last place get at the 1988 Open Championship?
The smallest check was $3,563, to Peter Mitchell (71).
How many players made the cut at the 1988 Open Championship?
71 players made the cut and finished, and 81 players missed it.