Tournament information | |
---|---|
Dates | August 6–9, 1981 |
Location | Duluth, Georgia 34°00′14″N 84°11′35″W / 34.004°N 84.193°W |
Course(s) | Atlanta Athletic Club, Highlands Course |
Organized by | PGA of America |
Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
Statistics | |
Par | 70 |
Length | 7,070 yards (6,465 m) |
Field | 147 players, 78 after cut[1] |
Cut | 147 (+7)[2] |
Prize fund | $401,050 |
Winner's share | $60,000 |
Champion | |
Larry Nelson | |
273 (−7) | |
Location map | |
Location in the United States Location in Georgia | |
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.