Harrah’s Cherokee is the penultimate stop on the schedule of the 2015/16 WSOP Circuit season. The popular poker series has already arrived at the venue and one lucky player has scooped the first gold ring of all twelve to be distributed at the casino over the next 10 days. Last night, local player John Mason Jr. topped the field of the $365 No-Limit Hold’em with a guaranteed $50,000 prize pool, taking home the first-place prize of $29,743 and his first WSOP Circuit gold piece.
Commenting on his victory, the player said that he felt incredible as he had reached a long-time goal of his. He also pointed out that he was well-aware of the fact that he had not been the best player at the final table and that he had faced several really good opponents.
Yet, it seems that Mason was good enough to best a field of 461 players from around the nation and to scoop the lion’s share of the prize pool and the gold ring. Speaking of the prize pool, it amounted to $138,300 and was distributed to the top 54 players. The lowest payouts totaled $531.
Event #1 on the 2015/16 WSOP Circuit Harrah’s Cherokee schedule was a two-day tournament. Day 2 of the event kicked off with only 11 players left out of the massive field of 461 entries and with Raymond Chan being the chip leader with 1,019,000. Mason was fourth in chips at that point. Action developed quite quickly at first and five players were eliminated within the first level of play.
Eventually, Mason faced Tass Robertson from Grundy, Virginia heads-up. Robertson started Day 2 as the short stack but held on throughout the day. The player collected $18,384 for his deep run in the tournament.
Joseph Gregory from Greensboro, North Carolina took 3rd place for $13,430. Start-of-the-day chip leader Raymond Chan from Cookeville, Tennessee finished 4th for $9,956. Nate Bandy from Chattanooga, Tennessee took 5th place, good for $7,488. Dustin Smith from Reidsville, North Carolina received $5,712 for his 6th place in the event.
James Barker from Easley, South Carolina took home $4,419 for finishing 7th. One-time gold ring winner Stephen Binkley from Greenbrier, Tennessee collected $3,467 for taking 8th place. Ava Wilensky from Atlanta, Georgia finished 9th for a payout of $2,759. Dustin Goldklang from Asheville, North Carolina was paid $2,225 for finishing 10th. And one-time gold ring winner Brandon Newsome from Powder Spring, Georgia took 11th place for $2,225, as well.
