Keith Fergus finished -4 and took 18% of the purse. That $63,000 is worth about $230,204 in 2026 dollars.
How the 1981 Memorial Tournament 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.
1981 Memorial Tournament 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 | Keith Fergus | -4 | $54,000 | $63,000 +17% |
| 2 | Jack Renner | -3 | $32,400 | $37,800 +17% |
| T3 | Craig Stadler | -1 | $20,400 | $16,800 |
| T3 | Tom Purtzer | -1 | $20,400 | $16,800 |
| T3 | George Archer | -1 | $20,400 | $16,800 |
| T3 | Tom Watson | -1 | $20,400 | $16,800 |
| T7 | Fuzzy Zoeller | E | $10,185 | |
| T7 | Dan Halldorson | E | $10,185 | |
| T7 | Mark Hayes | E | $10,185 | |
| T7 | Tom Kite | E | $10,185 | |
| T7 | Lanny Wadkins | E | $10,185 | |
| T12 | Jack Nicklaus | +1 | $7,700 | |
| T12 | John Mahaffey | +1 | $7,700 | |
| T14 | Bob Murphy | +2 | $5,550 | $6,475 |
| T14 | Tom Weiskopf | +2 | $5,550 | $6,475 |
| T16 | Jerry Pate | +3 | $4,650 | $5,775 |
| T16 | Danny Edwards | +3 | $4,650 | $5,775 |
| T18 | Ben Crenshaw | +4 | $4,410 | |
| T18 | Isao Aoki | +4 | $4,410 | |
| T18 | Bill Rogers | +4 | $4,410 | |
| T18 | John Schroeder | +4 | $4,410 | |
| T18 | Scott Simpson | +4 | $4,410 | |
| T18 | D.A. Weibring | +4 | $4,410 | |
| T24 | Mike Sullivan | +5 | $3,090 | |
| T24 | Don Pooley | +5 | $3,090 | |
| T24 | Bruce Lietzke | +5 | $3,090 | |
| T24 | Roger Maltbie | +5 | $3,090 | |
| T28 | Dan Pohl | +6 | $2,662 | |
| T28 | Jim Colbert | +6 | $2,662 | |
| T28 | Vance Heafner | +6 | $2,662 | |
| T28 | Lou Graham | +6 | $2,662 | |
| T32 | Bruce Fleisher | +7 | $2,450 | |
| T32 | Mike Donald | +7 | $2,450 | |
| T32 | Jerry McGee | +7 | $2,450 | |
| T35 | Jeff Mitchell | +8 | $2,250 | |
| T35 | Alan Tapie | +8 | $2,250 | |
| T35 | Bruce Douglass | +8 | $2,250 | |
| T35 | Bruce Devlin | +8 | $2,250 | |
| T35 | Peter Jacobsen | +8 | $2,250 | |
| T35 | Jim Holtgrieve | +8 | Not known | |
| T41 | John Fought | +9 | $1,760 | $2,020 |
| T41 | David Edwards | +9 | $1,760 | $2,020 |
| T41 | Mike Reid | +9 | $1,760 | $2,020 |
| T41 | Ed Sneed | +9 | $1,760 | $2,020 |
| T41 | Mark Lye | +9 | $1,760 | $2,020 |
| T46 | Andy North | +10 | $1,830 | |
| T46 | Larry Nelson | +10 | $1,830 | |
| T46 | Jim Simons | +10 | $1,830 | |
| T46 | Ed Fiori | +10 | $1,830 | |
| T46 | George Burns | +10 | $1,830 | |
| T46 | Jay Haas | +10 | $1,830 | |
| T46 | Hale Irwin | +10 | $1,830 | |
| T46 | Lon Hinkle | +10 | $1,830 | |
| T54 | Scott Hoch | +11 | $1,710 | |
| T54 | John Cook | +11 | $1,710 | |
| T54 | J. C. Snead | +11 | $1,710 | |
| T54 | Gil Morgan | +11 | $1,710 | |
| T58 | Barry Jaeckel | +12 | $1,650 | |
| T58 | Tom Jenkins | +12 | $1,650 | |
| T60 | Bobby Clampett | +13 | $1,610 | |
| T60 | Jack Newton | +13 | $1,610 | |
| T62 | Mark O'Meara | +14 | $1,580 | |
| T62 | Tommy Aaron | +14 | $1,580 | |
| T62 | Lee Elder | +14 | $1,580 | |
| 65 | Victor Regalado | +15 | $1,538 | $1,560 +1% |
| T66 | Bob Tway | +17 | Not known | |
| T66 | Terry Diehl | +17 | $1,545 | |
| T66 | Hubert Green | +17 | $1,545 | |
| T66 | Jay Sigel | +17 | Not known | |
| T70 | Rex Caldwell | +18 | $1,512 | $1,525 |
| T70 | Ron Streck | +18 | $1,512 | $1,525 |
| 72 | Lu Liang-Huan | +19 | $1,502 | $1,510 +1% |
| T73 | Leonard Thompson | +20 | $1,500 | |
| T73 | Brad Bryant | +20 | $1,500 | |
| T73 | Gary Hallberg | +20 | $1,500 | |
| 76 | Wayne Levi | +21 | $1,500 | |
| MC | Gene Littler | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Gary Player | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | John Traub | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | Howard Twitty | +13 | $0 | |
| MC | Bobby Wadkins | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Barney Thompson | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Hal Sutton | +11 | $0 | |
| MC | Phillip Hancock | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Bob Gilder | +9 | $0 | |
| MC | Mike Gove | +14 | $0 | |
| MC | David Graham | +12 | $0 | |
| MC | Brian Jones | +10 | $0 | |
| MC | Miller Barber | +15 | $0 | |
| MC | Bud Allin | +10 | $0 | |
| WD | Billy Kratzert | +8 | Not known |
The Memorial Tournament winner's share over time
This year is labeled. Full tournament history →
1981 Memorial Tournament payout FAQ
How much did the winner of the 1981 Memorial Tournament get?
Keith Fergus won $63,000 from a $350,000 purse.
What was the 1981 Memorial Tournament purse?
$350,000.
How much did last place get at the 1981 Memorial Tournament?
The smallest check was $1,500, to Wayne Levi (76).
How many players made the cut at the 1981 Memorial Tournament?
76 players made the cut and finished, and 14 players missed it.