The World Poker Tour recently wrapped its first-ever WPT Australia on a successful note. Running from September 15 to 27 at The Star Gold Coast, the series drew in 4,165 and paid out A$8.6M in total prize pool. The festival saw several highly decorated local superstars including Joe Hachem and Hari Varma. While there were so many big name players in attendance, emerging as the biggest winner was David Tang who took down the A$ 5,400 buy-in Main Event title for A$ 647,470 ($ 2,362,580) after besting a 710-entry field that resulted in A$ 3,550,000 ($ 2,362,580) prize pool.
Tang initially wanted to skip the Main Event but could not do so due to his non-refundable airline tickets. This was his first-ever major live title, bringing him a massive A$ 647,470, a WPT World Championship package and a ticket worth $ 10,400. Tang trailed the chip leaders throughout the tournament but got ahead when it mattered the most. On the very first hand of the heads-up, he doubled up to take a 5:1 advantage and then quickly sealed it on the second hand. Tang’s Kd-10d completed a flush to best Po Ho‘s Ac 8c. With the victory, Tang became the third Australian player to have his name etched on the coveted WPT Champions Cup, joining Joe Hachem and Mel Judah.
The Main Event (23-27 September) built a massive prize pool of A$ 3,550,000 ($2,362,580) on the back of 710 entries. The top 39 players were paid out, with WSOP bracelet holders Joe Hachem, Gary Benson, Robert Campbell, Hun Wei Lee, Motoyoshi Okamura, WPT Prime Vietnam Player of the Festival winner Duy Ho who redeemed his $5,000 WPT Main Tour passport, Alex Lynskey, Sean Ragozzini, Luke Martinelli, and Florencio Campomanes being the prominent names among them.
Final Table Payouts (AUD)
- David Tang – A$ 647,470*
- Po Ho – A$ 421,635
- Naj Ajez – A$ 310,675
- Daisuke Ogita – A$ 231,505
- Josh Hutchins – A$ 174,480
- De Kun Li – A$ 133,025
- John Doringer – A$ 102,605
- Li De – A$ 80,080
- Emanuel Seal – A$ 63,245
The Australians dominated the headlines by winning as many as 11 out of 13 total trophies. Other big winners of the series from the country included Marley Wynter and Joseph Sandaev. The former overcame a field of 63 entries in the A$ 20,000 ($12,800) buy-in Super High Roller to win A$ 430,919 ($ 287,165), while the latter posted four final table finishes to seize the coveted Player of the POF Festival title. He made his presence known with a victory at the A$ 2,500 No Limit Hold’em 8-Max and then final-tabled at two Pot Limit Omaha events to climb to the top of the leaderboard. On the final day, he closed out the two-day High Roller event. Sandaev clinched two event trophies, a WPT POF trophy, A$ 433,190 in cash, and the coveted WPT Main Tour passport worth $5,000.