Gene Littler's prize money by season
Gene Littler's official prize money in the 14 seasons with published figures, 1959–1985. The chart shows dollars of the day. The table adds each season in 2026 dollars.
| Season | Money list | Official prize money | In 2026 dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | No. 267 | $768 | $2,372 |
| 1984 | No. 253 | $995 | $3,182 |
| 1983 | No. 193 | $7,543 | $25,162 |
| 1982 | No. 139 | $23,237 | $80,003 |
| 1981 | No. 179 | $8,881 | $32,451 |
| 1980 | No. 113 | $27,331 | $110,189 |
| 1975 | No. 5 | $182,883 | $1,129,046 |
| 1969 | No. 6 | $112,737 | $1,021,064 |
| 1966 | No. 7 | $68,345 | $699,577 |
| 1965 | No. 9 | $58,898 | $621,055 |
| 1962 | No. 2 | $66,201 | $727,100 |
| 1961 | No. 9 | $29,246 | $325,066 |
| 1960 | No. 7 | $32,568 | $365,866 |
| 1959 | No. 2 | $38,296 | $436,486 |
Gene Littler at the majors and The Players
Gene Littler's finishes in golf's biggest events, with the prize money wherever it was published.
Gene Littler's PGA Tour wins
20 wins on record, 1959–1977, with each tournament's total purse. Our season schedules start in 1958.
| Season | Tournament | Purse |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Houston Open | $200,000 |
| 1975 | Westchester Classic | $250,000 |
| 1975 | Danny Thomas Memphis Classic | $175,000 |
| 1975 | Bing Crosby National Pro-Am | $185,000 |
| 1973 | St. Louis Children's Hospital Golf Classic | $210,000 |
| 1971 | Colonial National Invitation | $125,000 |
| 1971 | Monsanto Open | $150,000 |
| 1969 | Greater Greensboro Open | $160,000 |
| 1969 | Phoenix Open Invitational | $100,000 |
| 1965 | Canadian Open | $100,000 |
| 1962 | Thunderbird Classic Invitational | $100,000 |
| 1962 | Lucky International Open | $50,000 |
| 1961 | U.S. Open | $60,000 |
| 1960 | Eastern Open Invitational | $25,000 |
| 1960 | Oklahoma City Open Invitational | $30,000 |
| 1959 | Miller Open Invitational | $35,000 |
| 1959 | Insurance City Open Invitational | $25,000 |
| 1959 | Arlington Hotel Open | $20,000 |
| 1959 | Tucson Open Invitational | $15,000 |
| 1959 | Phoenix Open Invitational | $20,000 |
Gene Littler's wins, then and now
What each of Littler's major and Players wins paid, its value in 2026 dollars, and what the same title pays now.
Gene Littler won the 1961 U.S. Open and was paid $14,000. That is about $156K in 2026 dollars.
Winning the same event today would pay $4.5M. That is 29 times as much, even after inflation.
| Year | Tournament | Paid | In 2026 dollars | Winner's share now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | U.S. Open | $14,000 | $155,608 | $4,500,000 (2026) |
Gene Littler earnings FAQ
How much did Gene Littler earn in his career?
Gene Littler earned $657,929 in official PGA Tour prize money in the 14 seasons with published figures. His full career total is not known.
What would Gene Littler's earnings be worth today?
About $5,578,621 in 2026 dollars, adjusting each season's $657,929 total for inflation with the consumer price index.
How many majors did Gene Littler win?
1: 1961 U.S. Open.
What was Gene Littler's best money-list finish?
No. 2.