Lee Markholt Claims First WPT Title

Courtesy of the World Poker Tour

The WPT World Poker Challenge wrapped up in Reno this evening.

David Pham attempted to claim his first WPT win after finishing third in the same event in 2007. Lee Markholt was at his first WPT final table in 15 cashes – six in the current WPT season alone – and tried to seize the moment. Bryan Devonshire was going for his first major tournament win after a second place finish at the 2007 WSOP.

In the end, Markholt beat Bryan Devonshire in heads-up action in only two hands. Not sure who wanted that title more, but Markholt clearly had the chip advantage that allowed him to take it so quickly.

The final results of the final table were:

1st place: Lee Markholt – $493,815
2nd place: Bryan Devonshire – $271,625
3rd place: Zachary Hyman – $149,862
4th place: Jason Potter – $103,030
5th place: David Pham – $93,664
6th place: Jeff DeWitt – $84,297

Congrats to Lee! And congrats to Devo for an admirable run at the title!

All of the details of the final table can be read over at WPT Live Updates.

Side note: Last year\’s World Poker Challenge brought 425 players out for the $5k buy-in event. This year, the buy-in was raised to $7500, and only 261 players entered. Thus, the small prize pool and payouts. Coincidentally – or not – Reno was not on the recently-released Season VII WPT schedule.