Jack Nicklaus finished -8 and took 15% of the purse. That $55,000 is worth about $221,741 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1980 U.S. Open purse was split
Every paid player in finishing order. The top 10 took 65% of the money, and the dashed line marks the smallest check.
1980 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 | Jack Nicklaus | -8 | $50,000 | $55,000 +10% |
| 2 | Isao Aoki | -6 | $22,250 | $29,500 +33% |
| T3 | Keith Fergus | -4 | $17,400 | |
| T3 | Lon Hinkle | -4 | $17,400 | |
| T3 | Tom Watson | -4 | $17,400 | |
| T6 | Mark Hayes | E | $11,950 | |
| T6 | Mike Reid | E | $11,950 | |
| T8 | Ed Sneed | +2 | $9,000 | $8,050 |
| T8 | Andy North | +2 | $9,000 | $8,050 |
| T8 | Mike Morley | +2 | $9,000 | $8,050 |
| T8 | Hale Irwin | +2 | $9,000 | $8,050 |
| T12 | Joe Hager | +3 | $4,388 | |
| T12 | Bruce Devlin | +3 | $4,388 | |
| T12 | Lee Trevino | +3 | $4,388 | |
| T12 | Bobby Wadkins | +3 | $4,388 | |
| T16 | Joe Inman | +4 | $2,892 | |
| T16 | Gil Morgan | +4 | $2,892 | |
| T16 | Pat McGowan | +4 | $2,892 | |
| T16 | Craig Stadler | +4 | $2,892 | |
| T16 | Curtis Strange | +4 | $2,892 | |
| T16 | Bill Rogers | +4 | $2,892 | |
| T22 | Jim Simons | +5 | $2,400 | |
| — | Gary Hallberg | +5 | Not known | |
| T22 | Peter Jacobsen | +5 | $2,400 | |
| T22 | J. C. Snead | +5 | $2,400 | |
| T25 | Jay Haas | +6 | $2,275 | |
| T25 | Mark Lye | +6 | $2,275 | |
| T27 | John Mahaffey | +7 | $2,125 | |
| T27 | Calvin Peete | +7 | $2,125 | |
| T27 | David Edwards | +7 | $2,125 | |
| T27 | George Burns | +7 | $2,125 | |
| T31 | Ben Crenshaw | +8 | $1,900 | |
| T31 | Bob Gilder | +8 | $1,900 | |
| T31 | Hubert Green | +8 | $1,900 | |
| T31 | Jerry McGee | +8 | $1,900 | |
| T31 | Jack Newton | +8 | $1,900 | |
| 36 | Tom Weiskopf | +9 | $1,760 | |
| T37 | Artie McNickle | +10 | $1,630 | |
| T37 | Bruce Lietzke | +10 | $1,630 | |
| T37 | Gene Littler | +10 | $1,630 | |
| T37 | Tim Simpson | +10 | $1,630 | |
| T37 | Rod Curl | +10 | $1,630 | |
| T37 | Jim Dent | +10 | $1,630 | |
| — | Bobby Clampett | +10 | Not known | |
| T43 | Wayne Levi | +11 | $1,530 | |
| T43 | Scott Simpson | +11 | $1,530 | |
| T45 | David Graham | +12 | $1,470 | |
| T45 | Ray Floyd | +12 | $1,470 | |
| T45 | Jim Colbert | +12 | $1,470 | |
| T45 | Charles Coody | +12 | $1,470 | |
| T49 | Lou Graham | +13 | $1,410 | |
| T49 | Dave Stockton | +13 | $1,410 | |
| T51 | John Cook | +14 | $1,385 | |
| T51 | Fuzzy Zoeller | +14 | $1,385 | |
| 53 | Tom McGinnis | +15 | $1,370 | |
| T54 | Ron Streck | +16 | $1,355 | |
| T54 | Lance Ten Broeck | +16 | $1,355 | |
| 56 | Chip Beck | +17 | $1,340 | |
| 57 | Jeff Mitchell | +18 | $1,330 | |
| T58 | Larry Nelson | +19 | $1,310 | |
| T58 | Phillip Hancock | +19 | $1,310 | |
| T58 | Bobby Walzel | +19 | $1,310 | |
| 61 | Arnold Palmer | +21 | $1,300 | |
| MC | Benny Passons | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Alan Pate | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Jerry Pate | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Player | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Dan Pohl | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Paul Purtzer | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Purtzer | +7 | $0 | |
| — | Joey Rassett | +13 | Not known | |
| MC | Mark Rohde | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Shaw | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Jack Renner | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Larry Rinker | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Chi-Chi Rodríguez | +8 | $0 | |
| — | Hal Sutton | +11 | Not known | |
| — | Joey Sindelar | +7 | Not known | |
| — | Jeff Sluman | +15 | Not known | |
| MC | Bobby Nichols | +7 | $0 | |
| — | Mark O'Meara | +16 | Not known | |
| — | Jodie Mudd | +16 | Not known | |
| MC | Bob Murphy | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Johnny Miller | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Lyn Lott | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Pat Lindsey | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Mann | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Sandy Lyle | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Harmon | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Vance Heafner | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Richie Karl | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Kite | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Koch | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Ford | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | John Fought | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Al Geiberger | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Charlie Gibson | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Gibby Gilbert | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Ted Goin | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Lee Elder | +10 | $0 | |
| — | Bill Bergin | +17 | Not known | |
| — | Jay Don Blake | +11 | Not known | |
| MC | Jim Booros | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Michael Brannan | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | John Adams | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Albus | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Frank Conner | +11 | $0 | |
| — | Keith Clearwater | +16 | Not known | |
| MC | Bill Buttner | +20 | $0 | |
| — | Bruce Chalas | +21 | Not known | |
| MC | Terry Dill | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Dale Douglass | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Dow Finsterwald | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Pat Fitzsimons | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Lanny Wadkins | +13 | $0 | |
| — | Willie Wood | +10 | Not known | |
| MC | Bob Zender | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Larry Ziegler | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | David Thore | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Trivisonno | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Howard Twitty | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Rick Vershure | +21 | $0 | |
| MC | D.A. Weibring | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Andy Bean | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Burke, Jr | +23 | $0 | |
| MC | Chick Evans | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Ross | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Greg Hickman | +12 | $0 | |
| — | Bryan Norton | +16 | Not known | |
| MC | Rolf Deming | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Jack Kiefer | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Rocky Nelson | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Randy Petri | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Watney | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Pete Oakley | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Chuck Thorpe | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Kevin Klier | +24 | $0 | |
| — | Jay Sigel | +7 | Not known | |
| MC | Barry Holt | +25 | $0 | |
| MC | Arthur Russell | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Larry Degenhart | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Victor Tortorici | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Barker | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Russell Clark | +23 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Connell | +26 | $0 | |
| MC | Dennis Goettel | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Fred Haney | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Dick Hascom | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Hsi-Chuen Lu | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Chuck Moran | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Tommy Tierney | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Gerald Wisz | +13 | $0 | |
| — | Curtis Wagner | +9 | Not known | |
| — | Robert Landers | +20 | Not known | |
| — | George Glickley | +22 | Not known | |
| DQ | Seve Ballesteros | +5 | Not known |
U.S. Open winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1980 U.S. Open payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1980 U.S. Open get?
Jack Nicklaus won $55,000 from a $356,700 purse.
What was the 1980 U.S. Open purse?
$356,700.
How much did last place get at the 1980 U.S. Open?
The smallest check was $1,300, to Arnold Palmer (61).
How many players made the cut at the 1980 U.S. Open?
61 players made the cut and finished, and 76 players missed it.