Curtis Strange finished -6 and took 18% of the purse. That $180,000 is worth about $505,704 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1988 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.
1988 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 | Curtis Strange | -6 | $150,000 | $180,000 +20% |
| 2 | Nick Faldo | -6 | $75,000 | $90,000 +20% |
| T3 | Mark O'Meara | -4 | $46,240 | $41,370 |
| T3 | Steve Pate | -4 | $46,240 | $41,370 |
| T3 | D.A. Weibring | -4 | $46,240 | $41,370 |
| T6 | Scott Simpson | -3 | $25,414 | |
| T6 | Paul Azinger | -3 | $25,414 | |
| T8 | Bob Gilder | -2 | $20,904 | |
| T8 | Fuzzy Zoeller | -2 | $20,904 | |
| T10 | Fred Couples | -1 | $17,870 | |
| T10 | Payne Stewart | -1 | $17,870 | |
| T12 | Dan Pohl | E | $14,781 | |
| T12 | Larry Mize | E | $14,781 | |
| T12 | Ben Crenshaw | E | $14,781 | |
| T12 | Andy Bean | E | $14,781 | |
| T12 | Lanny Wadkins | E | $14,781 | |
| T17 | Ray Floyd | +1 | $9,747 | $11,981 |
| T17 | Hale Irwin | +1 | $9,747 | $11,981 |
| T17 | Mark McNulty | +1 | $9,747 | $11,981 |
| T17 | Joey Sindelar | +1 | $9,747 | $11,981 |
| T21 | Peter Jacobsen | +2 | $10,345 | |
| T21 | Scott Hoch | +2 | $10,345 | |
| T21 | Bob Eastwood | +2 | $10,345 | |
| T21 | Chip Beck | +2 | $10,345 | |
| T25 | Dave Barr | +3 | $8,856 | |
| T25 | Jay Haas | +3 | $8,856 | |
| T25 | Sandy Lyle | +3 | $8,856 | |
| T25 | Billy Mayfair | +3 | Not known | |
| T25 | Craig Stadler | +3 | $8,856 | |
| T25 | Mark Wiebe | +3 | $8,856 | |
| T25 | Bob Tway | +3 | $8,856 | |
| T32 | Mark McCumber | +4 | $7,726 | |
| T32 | Tommy Nakajima | +4 | $7,726 | |
| T32 | Ken Green | +4 | $7,726 | |
| T32 | Seve Ballesteros | +4 | $7,726 | |
| T36 | David Ishii | +5 | $5,626 | $7,002 |
| T36 | Mark Lye | +5 | $5,626 | $7,002 |
| T36 | Tom Kite | +5 | $5,626 | $7,002 |
| T36 | Tom Watson | +5 | $5,626 | $7,002 |
| T40 | Lee Trevino | +6 | $6,015 | |
| T40 | Chip Johnson | +6 | $6,015 | |
| T40 | Clarence Rose | +6 | $6,015 | |
| T40 | Mike Nicolette | +6 | $6,015 | |
| T40 | Nick Price | +6 | $6,015 | |
| T40 | Dan Halldorson | +6 | $6,015 | |
| T40 | Danny Edwards | +6 | $6,015 | |
| T47 | David Graham | +7 | $5,119 | |
| T47 | Rodger Davis | +7 | $5,119 | |
| T47 | Kent Stauffer | +7 | $5,119 | |
| T50 | Dick Mast | +8 | $4,492 | |
| T50 | John Cook | +8 | $4,492 | |
| T50 | Isao Aoki | +8 | $4,492 | |
| T50 | Buddy Gardner | +8 | $4,492 | |
| 54 | David Edwards | +9 | $4,044 | |
| T55 | Jim Carter | +10 | $3,896 | |
| T55 | Roger Maltbie | +10 | $3,896 | |
| T55 | Kenny Perry | +10 | $3,896 | |
| T55 | Dennis Trixler | +10 | $3,896 | |
| T59 | Rob Wilkin | +11 | $3,752 | |
| T59 | Steve Bowman | +11 | $3,752 | |
| 61 | Jim Hallet | +12 | $3,691 | |
| T62 | Mark Calcavecchia | +13 | $3,691 | |
| T62 | Larry Nelson | +13 | $3,691 | |
| 64 | Hal Sutton | +14 | $3,691 | |
| 65 | Jerry Haas | +15 | $3,691 | |
| MC | Mike Hammond | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Haskins | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Hayes | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Webb Heintzelman | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Hulbert | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Inskeep | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Eubank | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Friend | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | David Frost | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Gallagher, Jr. | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Brad Faxon | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Hubert Green | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Wayne Grady | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Chen Tze-chung | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Lee Chill | +19 | $0 | |
| MC | Lennie Clements | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Clark Dennis | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Ed Dougherty | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Pat Duncan | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Richard Cromwell | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Rick Dalpos | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Boyd | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Bill Britton | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Brooks | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | George Burns | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Woody Blackburn | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Charles Bolling | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Charlie Bowles | +23 | $0 | |
| MC | Emlyn Aubrey | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Ray Barr Jr. | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Jack Nicklaus | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Gil Morgan | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Al Morton | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Maness | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike McGee | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Blaine McCallister | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Darrell Kestner | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Koch | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Bernhard Langer | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Lohr | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Davis Love III | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Lowery | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Baker Maddera | +20 | $0 | |
| MC | Andrew Magee | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Player | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Corey Pavin | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Reid | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Don Pooley | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Masashi Ozaki | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Andy North | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Mac O'Grady | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Pat Stephens | +18 | $0 | |
| MC | Dave Stockton | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Tim Simpson | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Billy Andrade | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Rick Schuller | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Jeff Sluman | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Jerry Smith | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Swartz | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Brian Tennyson | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | David Thore | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Jim Thorpe | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Brett Upper | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Steven Veriato | +5 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Wadkins | +7 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Chapman | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Tommy Tolles | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Steve Rintoul | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Cary Hungate | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Doug Wherry | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Hunt Gilliland | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Mielke | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike White | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | John Fleischer | +25 | $0 | |
| MC | Robert Singletary | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | Donald Dubois | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Dave Erickson | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | William Hamilton | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Greg Loosigian | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | James Moodie | +16 | $0 | |
| MC | George Shortridge | +6 | $0 | |
| MC | Scott Spence | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Tom Woodard | +17 | $0 | |
| MC | Duffy Waldorf | +8 | $0 | |
| MC | Denis Watson | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | J.C. Anderson | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Brad Bell | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Mark Thaxton | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Glen Barrett | +13 | $0 | |
| WD | Dave Rummells | +13 | Not known | |
| WD | Greg Norman | +5 | Not known |
U.S. Open winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1988 U.S. Open payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1988 U.S. Open get?
Curtis Strange won $180,000 from a $1,000,000 purse.
What was the 1988 U.S. Open purse?
$1,000,000.
How much did last place get at the 1988 U.S. Open?
The smallest check was $3,691, to Jerry Haas (65).
How many players made the cut at the 1988 U.S. Open?
65 players made the cut and finished, and 89 players missed it.