Peter Oosterhuis finished -4 and took 18% of the purse. That $76,500 is worth about $279,533 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1981 Canadian Open purse was split
Every paid player in finishing order. The top 10 took 67% of the money, and the dashed line marks the smallest check.
1981 Canadian 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 | Peter Oosterhuis | -4 | $63,000 | $76,500 +21% |
| T2 | Andy North | -3 | $30,800 | $31,733 |
| T2 | Jack Nicklaus | -3 | $30,800 | $31,733 |
| T2 | Bruce Lietzke | -3 | $30,800 | $31,733 |
| T5 | Mark Hayes | -2 | $12,775 | $16,150 |
| T5 | David Graham | -2 | $12,775 | $16,150 |
| T7 | Bob Eastwood | -1 | $13,247 | |
| T7 | Tom Kite | -1 | $13,247 | |
| T7 | Leonard Thompson | -1 | $13,247 | |
| T10 | Jim Thorpe | E | $10,200 | |
| T10 | Tom Purtzer | E | $10,200 | |
| T10 | Scott Hoch | E | $10,200 | |
| T10 | Jerry Pate | E | $10,200 | |
| 14 | Lon Hinkle | +1 | $8,075 | |
| 15 | J. C. Snead | +2 | $7,650 | |
| T16 | Denis Watson | +3 | $6,588 | |
| T16 | Tom Jenkins | +3 | $6,588 | |
| T16 | Tommy Aaron | +3 | $6,588 | |
| T16 | George Archer | +3 | $6,588 | |
| T20 | Bruce Devlin | +4 | $4,550 | $5,128 |
| T20 | Tom Watson | +4 | $4,550 | $5,128 |
| T20 | Mike Sullivan | +4 | $4,550 | $5,128 |
| T23 | Curtis Strange | +5 | $3,782 | |
| T23 | Bob Shearer | +5 | $3,782 | |
| T23 | Scott Simpson | +5 | $3,782 | |
| T23 | Lee Trevino | +5 | $3,782 | |
| T23 | Larry Nelson | +5 | $3,782 | |
| T28 | Johnny Miller | +6 | $2,432 | $2,890 |
| T28 | Keith Fergus | +6 | $2,432 | $2,890 |
| T28 | Joe Hager | +6 | $2,432 | $2,890 |
| T28 | Phillip Hancock | +6 | $2,432 | $2,890 |
| T28 | Bill Calfee | +6 | $2,432 | $2,890 |
| T33 | George Burns | +7 | $2,152 | |
| T33 | Bob Gilder | +7 | $2,152 | |
| T33 | Artie McNickle | +7 | $2,152 | |
| T33 | Tim Norris | +7 | $2,152 | |
| T33 | Vance Heafner | +7 | $2,152 | |
| T33 | Tommy Valentine | +7 | $2,152 | |
| T33 | Bobby Wadkins | +7 | $2,152 | |
| T33 | Tim Simpson | +7 | $2,152 | |
| T41 | Billy Kratzert | +8 | $1,657 | |
| T41 | Gil Morgan | +8 | $1,657 | |
| T41 | Mike Morley | +8 | $1,657 | |
| T44 | Jim Nelford | +9 | $1,254 | |
| T44 | Rod Nuckolls | +9 | $1,254 | |
| T44 | Gary Player | +9 | $1,254 | |
| T44 | Dan Pohl | +9 | $1,254 | |
| T44 | Lyn Lott | +9 | $1,254 | |
| T44 | Lee Elder | +9 | $1,254 | |
| T44 | John Cook | +9 | $1,254 | |
| T51 | Charles Coody | +10 | $1,000 | |
| T51 | Lou Graham | +10 | $1,000 | |
| T51 | Ed Dougherty | +10 | $1,000 | |
| T51 | Dale Douglass | +10 | $1,000 | |
| T51 | Mark McCumber | +10 | $1,000 | |
| T51 | Dana Quigley | +10 | $1,000 | |
| T57 | Bob Proben | +11 | $952 | |
| T57 | Morris Hatalsky | +11 | $952 | |
| T57 | Woody Blackburn | +11 | $952 | |
| T60 | Jim Dent | +12 | $930 | |
| T60 | Eddie Pearce | +12 | $930 | |
| T62 | Wayne Levi | +13 | $905 | |
| T62 | Gary Hallberg | +13 | $905 | |
| T62 | Mike Reid | +13 | $905 | |
| T62 | Mick Soli | +13 | $905 | |
| T66 | Bill Sander | +14 | $880 | |
| T66 | Jay Haas | +14 | $880 | |
| T68 | John Mazza | +15 | $710 | $858 |
| T68 | Don Pooley | +15 | $710 | $858 |
| T68 | Lonnie Nielsen | +15 | $710 | $858 |
| 71 | Curtis Sifford | +19 | $693 | $841 +21% |
| MC | John Schroeder | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Payne Stewart | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Craig Stadler | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Ron Streck | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Doug Tewell | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Howard Twitty | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | D.A. Weibring | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Weiskopf | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | John McGough | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Jack Newton | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Lindy Miller | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Jeff Mitchell | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Greg Powers | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Peck | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary McCord | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Pat McGowan | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Lye | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Keith Lyford | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Roger Maltbie | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Rik Massengale | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Don Levin | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Gavan Levenson | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Pat Lindsey | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Darrell Kestner | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Gene Littler | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Jerry Heard | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Bunky Henry | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Jeff Hewes | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | George Knudson | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Charlie Gibson | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Hale Irwin | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Barry Jaeckel | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Dan Halldorson | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Barry Harwell | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Terry Diehl | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Forrest Fezler | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Danny Edwards | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | David Edwards | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Booros | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Seve Ballesteros | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Miller Barber | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Dave Barr | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Beau Baugh | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Beauchemin | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Don Bies | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Stanton Altgelt | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Butch Baird | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Ackerman | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | John Adams | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Ben Crenshaw | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Britton | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Brad Bryant | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Rex Caldwell | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Frank Conner | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Byman | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | George Cadle | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Jon Chaffee | +8 | $0 | |
| DQ | Doug Johnson | Not known | ||
| DQ | John Lister | Not known | ||
| DQ | Scott Watkins | +6 | Not known | |
| DQ | Victor Regalado | Not known | ||
| DQ | Mike Smith | +7 | Not known | |
| — | Clarence Rose | Not known | ||
| — | Don Reese | Not known | ||
| — | Lance Ten Broeck | Not known | ||
| — | Skip Tredway | Not known | ||
| — | Jeff Thomsen | Not known | ||
| — | David Thore | Not known | ||
| — | Scott Stegner | Not known | ||
| — | Tom Storey | Not known | ||
| — | Jeff Sanders | Not known | ||
| — | David Sann | Not known | ||
| — | William Rogers | Not known | ||
| — | Bill Eissele | Not known | ||
| — | Carlton White | Not known | ||
| — | Gary Wintz | Not known | ||
| — | Jet Ozaki | Not known | ||
| — | Gary Trivisonno | Not known | ||
| — | Bill Loeffler | Not known | ||
| — | Terry Mauney | Not known | ||
| — | Dan Frickey | Not known | ||
| — | Tom Inskeep | Not known | ||
| — | Mike Preston | Not known | ||
| — | Jim Paschal | Not known | ||
| — | Steve Melnyk | Not known | ||
| — | Mike Nicolette | Not known | ||
| — | Tom Chain | Not known | ||
| — | Jim Chancey | Not known | ||
| — | Mark Calcavecchia | Not known | ||
| — | Richie Adham | Not known | ||
| — | Bud Allin | Not known | ||
| — | Al Balding | Not known | ||
| — | Terry Anton | Not known | ||
| — | Wally Armstrong | Not known | ||
| — | Rick Borg | Not known | ||
| — | Michael Brannan | Not known | ||
| — | David Eger | Not known | ||
| — | Mike Donald | Not known | ||
| — | Jack Ferenz | Not known | ||
| — | Billy Glisson | Not known | ||
| — | Jaime Gonzalez | Not known | ||
| — | Mike Gove | Not known | ||
| WD | Ed Fiori | +10 | Not known | |
| WD | Ray Floyd | +4 | Not known | |
| WD | Mike Holland | +11 | Not known | |
| WD | Lanny Wadkins | +6 | Not known | |
| WD | Bobby Walzel | +5 | Not known |
RBC Canadian Open winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1981 Canadian Open payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1981 Canadian Open get?
Peter Oosterhuis won $76,500 from a $425,000 purse.
What was the 1981 Canadian Open purse?
$425,000.
How much did last place get at the 1981 Canadian Open?
The smallest check was $841, to Curtis Sifford (71).
How many players made the cut at the 1981 Canadian Open?
71 players made the cut and finished, and 57 players missed it.