Tom Watson finished -6 and took 16% of the purse. That $60,000 is worth about $206,576 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1982 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.
1982 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 | Tom Watson | -6 | $55,000 | $60,000 +9% |
| 2 | Jack Nicklaus | -4 | $24,650 | $34,506 +40% |
| T3 | Dan Pohl | -2 | $14,967 | |
| T3 | Bill Rogers | -2 | $14,967 | |
| T3 | Bobby Clampett | -2 | $14,967 | |
| T6 | David Graham | -1 | $9,920 | $8,011 |
| T6 | Jay Haas | -1 | $9,920 | $8,011 |
| T6 | Gary Koch | -1 | $9,920 | $8,011 |
| T6 | Lanny Wadkins | -1 | $9,920 | $8,011 |
| T10 | Calvin Peete | E | $6,332 | |
| T10 | Bruce Devlin | E | $6,332 | |
| T12 | Danny Edwards | +1 | $5,511 | |
| T12 | Chip Beck | +1 | $5,511 | |
| T12 | Lyn Lott | +1 | $5,511 | |
| T15 | Scott Simpson | +2 | $4,661 | |
| T15 | Larry Rinker | +2 | $4,661 | |
| T15 | J. C. Snead | +2 | $4,661 | |
| T15 | Fuzzy Zoeller | +2 | $4,661 | |
| T19 | Hal Sutton | +3 | $4,008 | |
| T19 | Larry Nelson | +3 | $4,008 | |
| T19 | Ben Crenshaw | +3 | $4,008 | |
| T22 | Michael Brannan | +4 | $3,404 | |
| T22 | Joe Hager | +4 | $3,404 | |
| T22 | Gil Morgan | +4 | $3,404 | |
| T22 | Andy North | +4 | $3,404 | |
| T22 | John Mahaffey | +4 | $3,404 | |
| T22 | Gene Littler | +4 | $3,404 | |
| T22 | Craig Stadler | +4 | $3,404 | |
| 29 | Tom Kite | +5 | $3,006 | |
| T30 | George Burns | +6 | $2,718 | |
| T30 | Don Bies | +6 | $2,718 | |
| T30 | Isao Aoki | +6 | $2,718 | |
| T30 | Peter Oosterhuis | +6 | $2,718 | |
| T30 | Jack Renner | +6 | $2,718 | |
| T30 | Greg Powers | +6 | $2,718 | |
| T30 | Jim Thorpe | +6 | $2,718 | |
| T37 | Terry Diehl | +7 | $1,660 | $2,430 |
| T37 | Bob Gilder | +7 | $1,660 | $2,430 |
| T39 | Lou Graham | +8 | $2,175 | |
| T39 | Hale Irwin | +8 | $2,175 | |
| T39 | Rod Nuckolls | +8 | $2,175 | |
| T39 | Curtis Strange | +8 | $2,175 | |
| T39 | Kermit Zarley | +8 | $2,175 | |
| T39 | Tom Weiskopf | +8 | $2,175 | |
| T45 | Dave Stockton | +9 | $1,855 | |
| T45 | Johnny Miller | +9 | $1,855 | |
| T45 | Lon Hinkle | +9 | $1,855 | |
| T45 | Woody Blackburn | +9 | $1,855 | |
| T49 | Ray Floyd | +10 | $1,599 | |
| T49 | Skeeter Heath | +10 | $1,599 | |
| T49 | Clarence Rose | +10 | $1,599 | |
| T49 | Bob Shearer | +10 | $1,599 | |
| T53 | Vance Heafner | +11 | $1,350 | $1,409 |
| T53 | Butch Baird | +11 | $1,350 | $1,409 |
| T53 | Larry Ziegler | +11 | $1,350 | $1,409 |
| T56 | Ron Streck | +13 | $1,358 | |
| T56 | Tom Sieckmann | +13 | $1,358 | |
| 58 | Mark O'Meara | +14 | $1,310 | $1,336 +2% |
| — | Nathaniel Crosby | +15 | Not known | |
| — | Corey Pavin | +16 | Not known | |
| T60 | Bobby Wadkins | +16 | $1,319 | |
| T62 | Lloyd Monroe | +17 | $1,300 | |
| T62 | Jim King | +17 | $1,300 | |
| T62 | Kenny Knox | +17 | $1,300 | |
| 65 | Bill Israelson | +20 | $1,300 | $1,300 |
| 66 | Doug Tewell | +31 | $1,300 | |
| MC | John Traub | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Skip Tredway | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Lee Trevino | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Stan Stopa | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott Stegner | +14 | $0 | |
| — | Jeffrey Wilson | +9 | Not known | |
| MC | Brad Sherfy | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Don Robertson | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | John McNaney | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Ron Vlosich | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott Spence | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Rod Funseth | +13 | $0 | |
| — | David Dupre | +22 | Not known | |
| MC | Richard Gilstad | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Dick Crosby | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Keith Kollmeyer | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Arthur Russell | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Stubblefield | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Don Bliss | +22 | $0 | |
| — | David Nelson | +11 | Not known | |
| — | Guy Bill | +17 | Not known | |
| — | Willie Wood | +12 | Not known | |
| MC | Jim Wright | +21 | $0 | |
| MC | Al Chandler | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Albus | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Lynn Janson | +22 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Jenkins | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Heins | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Robert Hoyt | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Joe Inman | +8 | $0 | |
| — | Brian Fogt | +13 | Not known | |
| MC | Dan Forsman | +13 | $0 | |
| — | Frank Fuhrer III | +13 | Not known | |
| MC | Jay Don Blake | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Hubert Green | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Ken Green | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Jeff Grygiel | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Donnie Hammond | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Morris Hatalsky | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Hayes | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Frank Conner | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | John Cook | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Fred Couples | +20 | $0 | |
| MC | Johnny Elam | +21 | $0 | |
| — | Brad Faxon | +9 | Not known | |
| MC | Jack Ferenz | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Keith Fergus | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Seve Ballesteros | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Mel Baum | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Ronnie Black | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Bergin | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | John Calabria | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Jon Chaffee | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Britton | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Brodell | +23 | $0 | |
| MC | Ralph Landrum | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Bernhard Langer | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Bruce Lietzke | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Malaska | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Mann | +9 | $0 | |
| — | Gary Marlowe | +8 | Not known | |
| MC | Mark McCumber | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark McNulty | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Griff Moody | +20 | $0 | |
| MC | Larry Mize | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Nichols | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Arnold Palmer | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Jerry Pate | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Tim Norris | +13 | $0 | |
| — | Chris Perry | +13 | Not known | |
| MC | Gary Pinns | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Player | +12 | $0 | |
| — | Wayne Player | +16 | Not known | |
| MC | Tom Purtzer | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Reid | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Don Pooley | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Simons | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | John Schroeder | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Schumaker | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Spray | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Chi-Chi Rodríguez | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Joey Sindelar | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Smith | +23 | $0 | |
| WD | Andy Bean | +6 | Not known | |
| WD | Scott Hoch | +2 | Not known | |
| WD | Walter Zembriski | +16 | Not known |
U.S. Open winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1982 U.S. Open payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1982 U.S. Open get?
Tom Watson won $60,000 from a $375,000 purse.
What was the 1982 U.S. Open purse?
$375,000.
How much did last place get at the 1982 U.S. Open?
The smallest check was $1,300, to Doug Tewell (66).
How many players made the cut at the 1982 U.S. Open?
64 players made the cut and finished, and 72 players missed it.