Underdog Kent Stephens stuns poker pros to claim first major title
The PokerGO Cup Showcase drew a record-setting field of entrants to the PokerGO Studio this week. The $3,000 buy-in, multi-flight no-limit hold'em tournament was designed as a more affordable entry point to, hopefully, attract new players to the tour. And it worked. Across two Day 1 flights, the field swelled to a total of 215 entrants - a new high watermark for a tour event held in the confines of the PokerGO Studio. Stephens outlasts the pros With only 31 players back in the mix on Day 2 - all already in the money - the carnage came quick and chaotic as competitors hit the rail one after another. There was a solid contingent of PGT regulars still in the hunt, including Chino Rheem, Jonathan Little, Sean Winter, Cary Katz, Daniel Sepiol, Joao Simao, and Dylan Linde - all of whom were eliminated prior to the final table. After reaching the final table alongside Natalie Ferguson, Daniyal Gheba, Sandeep Koralla, Jim Collopy, and Aaron Messmer, PGT newcomer Kent Stephens defeated Myles Mullaly heads-up to claim his first tour title and the $130,000 first-place prize. It was Stephen's maiden outing in the PokerGO Studio and he was by far the least experienced player at the final table with only four recorded cashes and $12,232 in earnings. It didn't matter. Stephens outlasted them all before pulling off an impressive comeback against Mullaly, battling his way back from a greater than 5-to-1 chip deficit.
