1981 PGA Championship

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1981 PGA Championship
Tournament information
DatesAugust 6–9, 1981
LocationDuluth, Georgia
34°00′14″N 84°11′35″W / 34.004°N 84.193°W / 34.004; -84.193Coordinates: 34°00′14″N 84°11′35″W / 34.004°N 84.193°W / 34.004; -84.193
Course(s)Atlanta Athletic Club,
Highlands Course
Organized byPGA of America
Tour(s)PGA Tour
Statistics
Par70
Length7,070 yards (6,465 m)
Field147 players, 78 after cut[1]
Cut147 (+7)[2]
Prize fund$401,050
Winner's share$60,000
Champion
United States Larry Nelson
273 (−7)
Location Map
Atlanta Athletic Club is located in the United States
Atlanta Athletic Club
Atlanta Athletic Club
Location in the United States
← 1980
1982 →

The 1981 PGA Championship was the 63rd PGA Championship, held August 6–9 at Atlanta Athletic Club in Duluth, Georgia, a suburb northeast of Atlanta. Larry Nelson won the first of his three major titles, four strokes ahead of runner-up Fuzzy Zoeller.[3][4]

Lee Trevino, 1974 champion, did not sign his scorecard after an opening round 74 and was disqualified after turning himself in.[5][6] Bob Murphy led after each of the first two rounds,[7][8] but was 8-over on the weekend and finished ten strokes back in 18th place.[3] After a second consecutive 66 on Saturday, Nelson held the 54-hole lead, four strokes ahead of Zoeller[9]

Tom Watson was the PGA Tour money list leader in August 1981, but missed the cut by a stroke.[8]

It was the second major held at the Highlands Course, which hosted the U.S. Open in 1976. The PGA Championship returned in 2001 and 2011.

Past champions in the field[]

Made the cut[]

Player Country Year(s) won R1 R2 R3 R4 Total To par Finish
Jack Nicklaus  United States 1963, 1971,
1973 1975, 1980		 71 68 71 69 279 −1 T4
Raymond Floyd  United States 1969 71 70 71 72 284 +4 T19
Don January  United States 1967 70 72 70 72 284 +4 T19
Lanny Wadkins  United States 1977 70 71 74 71 286 +6 T33
David Graham  Australia 1979 75 69 74 70 288 +8 T43
Dave Stockton  United States 1970, 1976 70 75 70 73 288 +8 T43
Gary Player  South Africa 1962, 1972 75 72 71 71 289 +9 T49
Al Geiberger  United States 1966 73 74 77 69 293 +13 T67

Missed the cut[]

Player Country Year(s) won R1 R2 Total To par
Lionel Hebert  United States 1957 73 77 150 +10
John Mahaffey  United States 1978 76 75 151 +11
Bobby Nichols  United States 1964 77 79 156 +16
Doug Ford  United States 1955 79 WD
Sam Snead  United States 1942, 1949, 1951 79 WD
Lee Trevino  United States 1974 74 DQ [5][6]

Source:[1][10]

Round summaries[]

First round[]

Thursday, August 6, 1981

Place Player Country Score To par
1 Bob Murphy  United States 66 −4
T2 Bob Eastwood  United States 67 −3
Mark Lye  United States
T4 Rex Caldwell  United States 68 −2
Vance Heafner  United States
Andy North  United States
T7 Charles Coody  United States 69 −1
Lon Hinkle  United States
Roger Maltbie  United States
Dan Pohl  United States
Ron Streck  United States

Source:[11]

Second round[]

Friday, August 7, 1981

Place Player Country Score To par
1 Bob Murphy  United States 66-69=135 −5
T2 Bob Eastwood  United States 67-69=136 −4
Larry Nelson  United States 70-66=136
Dan Pohl  United States 69-67=136
5 Andy North  United States 69-68=137 −3
T6 Vance Heafner  United States 68-70=138 −2
Tom Kite  United States 71-67=138
Fuzzy Zoeller  United States 70-68=138
T9 Gil Morgan  United States 70-69=139 −1
Jack Nicklaus  United States 71-68=139
Jerry Pate  United States 71-68=139

Source:[10]

Third round[]

Saturday, August 8, 1981

Place Player Country Score To par
1 Larry Nelson  United States 70-66-66=202 −8
2 Fuzzy Zoeller  United States 70-68-68=206 −4
T3 Tom Kite  United States 71-67-69=207 −3
Andy North  United States 69-68-70=207
T5 Bob Eastwood  United States 67-69-72=208 −2
Vance Heafner  United States 68-70-70=208
Bob Murphy  United States 66-69-73=208
Greg Norman  Australia 73-67-68=208
T9 Isao Aoki  Japan 75-68-66=209 −1
Jerry Pate  United States 71-68-70=209
Dan Pohl  United States 69-67-73=209

Source:[12]

Final round[]

Sunday, August 9, 1981

Place Player Country Score To par Money ($)
1 Larry Nelson  United States 70-66-66-71=273 −7 60,000
2 Fuzzy Zoeller  United States 70-68-68-71=277 −3 40,000
3 Dan Pohl  United States 69-67-73-69=278 −2 25,000
T4 Isao Aoki  Japan 75-68-66-70=279 −1 13,146
Keith Fergus  United States 71-71-69-68=279
Bob Gilder  United States 74-69-70-66=279
Tom Kite  United States 71-67-69-72=279
Bruce Lietzke  United States 70-70-71-68=279
Jack Nicklaus  United States 71-68-71-69=279
Greg Norman  Australia 73-67-68-71=279

Source:[1]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "1981 PGA Championship". databasegolf.com. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  2. ^ "Tournament Info for: 1981 PGA Championship". PGA.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2012. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  3. ^ a b Kindred, Dave (August 9, 1981). "Nelson tears up 'choke' label and PGA". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. (Washington Post). p. 1C.
  4. ^ Jenkins, Dan (August 17, 1981). "A drive down easy street". Sports Illustrated. p. 48.
  5. ^ a b "Golf's honest men". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. wire services. August 7, 1981. p. 2D.
  6. ^ a b Parascenzo, Marino (August 7, 1981). "Trevino disqualified, Murphy leads PGA". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 11.
  7. ^ Parascenzo, Marino (August 8, 1981). "Murphy grabs slim PGA lead". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 9.
  8. ^ a b "Murphy's fat, happy, and leading". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. August 8, 1981. p. 1B.
  9. ^ "Nelson's 66 captures PGA lead". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. UPI. August 9, 1981. p. 1B.
  10. ^ a b "Murphy's fat, happy and leading". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. August 8, 1981. p. 1B.
  11. ^ Kindred, Dave (August 7, 1981). "Murphy's accuracy pays off". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. (Washington Post). p. 1D.
  12. ^ "Nelson's 66 captures PGA lead". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. UPI. August 9, 1981. p. 1B.

External links[]

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