WSOP-C Southern Regionals and UK & Ireland Poker Tour Cork

Though last weekend’s exciting conclusion to the 2011 World Poker Tour Championship in Las Vegas snagged the lion’s share of the poker press, two other significant (but obviously smaller) events were also wrapping in other parts of the world. The World Series of Poker Circuit’s Southern Regional Championship was decided down in New Orleans, yielding the final qualifier for the WSOP-C’s first National Championship. Meanwhile, across the pond the UK & Ireland Poker Tour named a champion in the Cork Main Event.

Since we already know how the WPT Championship ended (Congratulations again to Scott Seiver!), let’s take a look at how the final hands fell at the WSOP-C Southern Regional Championship. Admittedly the payouts weren’t on par with what was on offer at the WPT, but the top payout of nearly a quarter of a million was still nothing to scoff at.

A total of 75 players paid the $10,000 necessary to compete for the cash, the Southern Regional title and a seat to the National Championship later this month. It was barely enough to ensure that the bottom finisher at the final table would get their money back, but the tournament still attracted recognizable regulars like Allen Kessler and Matt Waxman. The eventual winner – after a grueling 12-hour final table session nonetheless – was a true amateur, though. Jejelowo’s WSOP-C win was not only his first title, it was his first live tournament cash. Here’s how the final table played out in order of placing:

AJ Jejelowo – $235,956

Gary Friedlander – $145,422

Harry Cullen – $95,214

Allie Prescott – $66,202

Scott Lipshutz – $48,673

Allen Kessler – $37,736

Matt Waxman – $30,794

Kunal Patel – $26,401

Jeremy Gaubert – $12,000

Across the Atlantic at the UKIPT Cork Main Event, another upandcomer got their first taste of victory. Sam Razavi has been chasing a UKIPT title all year with cash finishes at both the Nottingham and Manchester Main Events. At Cork, Razavi proved that third time’s the charm when he bested a field of 601 players from an impressive 28 different countries to pocket the top €71,000 prize.

Though Razavi proved to be a deserving winner, much of the UKIPTCork audience was rooting for Irishman David O’Connor. O’Connor was hanging on by a thread by the time the final table was trimmed down to three, but he snagged the other heads-up seat shortly after snatching a 5 million chip pot from odds-on favorite Martin Mulsow.

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