Texas online and live tournament professional player Tyler Morris bested a record entry list of 1,427 rivals in the $1,675 buy-in Main Event of the World Series of Poker Circuit stop in Durant, Oklahoma on Monday, playing at the Choctaw Casino.
The event turned out to be one of the biggest main events in WSOP Circuit history.
The big entry field created a $2,142,000 prize pool, ensuring good cashes, especially on the final table, which after three days comprised Morris facing fellow Texans Shelby Penka, Preston Harwell and Jeffrey Gibralter; Las Vegas players Joshua Evans Jesse Capps and Michael Sanders; and local contestants Clyde Walters and Julie Walker.
When Walters walked after being eliminated by Morris, the scene was set for the heads up between two Texans – Morris vs. Penka, a long and exciting encounter that saw the chip lead change hands several times before Morris managed to get the upper hand and take the game, winning the $369,503 first-place prize and a seat into the 2014 National Championship.
Penka collected the runner up check for $229,194.
Other final table payouts included:
3rd Clyde Walters $167,954
4th Preston Harwell $127,685
5th Jeffrey Gibralter $97,204
6th Joshua Evans $74,863
7th Jesse Capps $58,327
8th Michael Sanders $45,967
9th Julie Walker $36,650