Larry Nelson finished -4 and took 14% of the purse. That $72,000 is worth about $240,175 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1983 U.S. Open purse was split
Every paid player in finishing order. The top 10 took 55% of the money, and the dashed line marks the smallest check.
1983 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 | Larry Nelson | -4 | $60,000 | $72,000 +20% |
| 2 | Tom Watson | -3 | $34,506 | $44,000 +28% |
| 3 | Gil Morgan | -1 | $14,967 | $29,000 +94% |
| T4 | Calvin Peete | +2 | $17,968 | |
| T4 | Seve Ballesteros | +2 | $17,968 | |
| 6 | Hal Sutton | +3 | $8,011 | $13,254 +65% |
| 7 | Lanny Wadkins | +4 | $12,088 | |
| T8 | David Graham | +7 | $10,711 | |
| T8 | Ralph Landrum | +7 | $10,711 | |
| T10 | Andy North | +8 | $6,332 | $8,976 |
| T10 | Chip Beck | +8 | $6,332 | $8,976 |
| T10 | Craig Stadler | +8 | $6,332 | $8,976 |
| T13 | Jim Thorpe | +9 | $6,994 | |
| T13 | Lennie Clements | +9 | $6,994 | |
| T13 | Ray Floyd | +9 | $6,994 | |
| T13 | David Ogrin | +9 | $6,994 | |
| T13 | Mike Nicolette | +9 | $6,994 | |
| T13 | Scott Simpson | +9 | $6,994 | |
| T13 | Pat McGowan | +9 | $6,994 | |
| T20 | Griff Moody | +10 | $5,554 | |
| T20 | Tom Kite | +10 | $5,554 | |
| T20 | Gary Player | +10 | $5,554 | |
| T20 | D.A. Weibring | +10 | $5,554 | |
| T24 | Tom Weiskopf | +11 | $5,017 | |
| T24 | Gary Koch | +11 | $5,017 | |
| T26 | Tommy Nakajima | +12 | $4,465 | |
| T26 | Joey Rassett | +12 | $4,465 | |
| T26 | Bob Ford | +12 | $4,465 | |
| T26 | Ken Green | +12 | $4,465 | |
| T26 | Mark Hayes | +12 | $4,465 | |
| T26 | Curtis Strange | +12 | $4,465 | |
| T32 | Tim Simpson | +13 | $4,014 | |
| T32 | Roger Maltbie | +13 | $4,014 | |
| T34 | John Mahaffey | +14 | $3,687 | |
| T34 | Peter Jacobsen | +14 | $3,687 | |
| T34 | Andy Bean | +14 | $3,687 | |
| T34 | Mike Sullivan | +14 | $3,687 | |
| T34 | Ron Terry | +14 | $3,687 | |
| T39 | Hale Irwin | +15 | $2,175 | $3,268 |
| T39 | Skeeter Heath | +15 | $2,175 | $3,268 |
| T39 | Bob Gilder | +15 | $2,175 | $3,268 |
| T39 | Keith Fergus | +15 | $2,175 | $3,268 |
| T43 | Jay Haas | +16 | $2,847 | |
| T43 | Wayne Levi | +16 | $2,847 | |
| T43 | Mike Reid | +16 | $2,847 | |
| T43 | Jack Nicklaus | +16 | $2,847 | |
| T43 | J. C. Snead | +16 | $2,847 | |
| T48 | Nick Price | +17 | $2,520 | |
| T48 | Scott Hoch | +17 | $2,520 | |
| T50 | Forrest Fezler | +18 | $2,105 | |
| T50 | Brad Faxon | +18 | Not known | |
| T50 | Lou Graham | +18 | $2,105 | |
| T50 | Bob Boyd | +18 | $2,105 | |
| T50 | Frank Conner | +18 | $2,105 | |
| T50 | Greg Norman | +18 | $2,105 | |
| T50 | Peter Oosterhuis | +18 | $2,105 | |
| T50 | Bob Murphy | +18 | $2,105 | |
| T50 | Mark McNulty | +18 | $2,105 | |
| T50 | Bob Shearer | +18 | $2,105 | |
| T60 | Arnold Palmer | +19 | $1,319 | $1,907 |
| T60 | Hubert Green | +19 | $1,319 | $1,907 |
| T60 | Donnie Hammond | +19 | $1,319 | $1,907 |
| 63 | John Sherman | +20 | Not known | |
| 64 | Bob Eastwood | +21 | $1,898 | |
| T65 | Bruce Devlin | +22 | $1,300 | $1,898 |
| T65 | Bobby Wadkins | +22 | $1,300 | $1,898 |
| 67 | Jim Nelford | +23 | $1,898 | |
| T68 | Jim Booros | +26 | $1,898 | |
| T68 | Rocky Thompson | +26 | $1,898 | |
| 70 | Hsu Sheng-san | +28 | $1,898 | |
| MC | Victor Tortorici | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Jeff Klein | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Dickson | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Rod Kimmel | +22 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Moreland | +28 | $0 | |
| MC | Tony Farmer | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Don Klenk | +29 | $0 | |
| MC | Pete Oakley | +25 | $0 | |
| MC | Robert McNamara | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Jay Sigel | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Doug Brown | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Jeff Hunter | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Carey | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Ray Carrasco | +22 | $0 | |
| MC | John Cregan | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Sam Farlow | +23 | $0 | |
| MC | Barry Fleming | +22 | $0 | |
| MC | Edward Kilthau | +23 | $0 | |
| MC | Gerald Minor | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Vaughn Moise | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Robert Panastuk | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Alan Rosensteel | +30 | $0 | |
| MC | Jeff Thomsen | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Ken Still | +22 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott Taylor | +21 | $0 | |
| MC | Lance Ten Broeck | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Leonard Thompson | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Ed Sneed | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Larry Tiziani | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Dennis Trixler | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Howard Twitty | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Fuzzy Zoeller | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Robert Lewis | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Carl Lohren | +27 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Schuchart | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Buttner | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Byman | +22 | $0 | |
| MC | Jon Chaffee | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Clampett | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Cole | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Ron Commans | +23 | $0 | |
| MC | Fred Couples | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Ben Crenshaw | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Michael Brannan | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Brad Bryant | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Benson | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Betley | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Charles Bolling | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Albus | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Paul Azinger | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Miller Barber | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Dave Barr | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Danny Edwards | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Jack Ferenz | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Heins | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Denny Hepler | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Holland | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Joe Inman | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Vance Heafner | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Johnny Miller | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Kevin Morris | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Jodie Mudd | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Don Levin | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Bruce Lietzke | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Lyn Lott | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | David Lundstrom | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Baker Maddera | +26 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Marlowe | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Gavan Levenson | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Jerry Pate | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Corey Pavin | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Peck | +24 | $0 | |
| MC | Lonnie Nielsen | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Nichols | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Clyde Rego | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Dan Pohl | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Larry Rinker | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Lee Rinker | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Rogers | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Clarence Rose | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Roy | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Rick Smith | +23 | $0 | |
| DQ | George Burns | Not known | ||
| WD | Jim Colbert | +8 | Not known | |
| WD | Ernesto Pérez Acosta | +8 | Not known | |
| WD | John Adams | +6 | Not known |
U.S. Open winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1983 U.S. Open payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1983 U.S. Open get?
Larry Nelson won $72,000 from a $500,000 purse.
What was the 1983 U.S. Open purse?
$500,000.
How much did last place get at the 1983 U.S. Open?
The smallest check was $1,898, to Hsu Sheng-san (70).
How many players made the cut at the 1983 U.S. Open?
70 players made the cut and finished, and 82 players missed it.