Wednesday July 4, 2012 : TEXAS LAWYER IN BIG WORLD SERIES OF POKER WIN (Update)
Neil Willerson bests a field of 3,166 to triumph in NLHE event 53
There's something about players with a legal background – in this year's World Series of Poker several have won or cashed in various events – that makes them formidable opponents. On Tuesday Texas lawyer Neil Willerson (36) illustrated the trend when he survived a field of 3,166 entrants to win event 53 – $1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em and claim his first bracelet and a whopping $737,248 in prize money.
Willerson's victory was all the more remarkable because he entered the heads up against the highly competent Russian player Vladimir Mefodichev with a 3 to 1 chip disadvantage, but still managed to fight his way back into contention and eventually eliminate his opponent.
Other final table pay-outs looked like this:
Vladimir Mefodichev $456,217
Hugh Henderson $322,866
Zachary Humphrey $233,708
Matthew Graham $171,135
Hai Chu $126,770
Bryan Piccioli $94,971
Randy Ashe $71,933
Ryan Hughes $55,093