Take a Look at the Circuit Ring Winners from the WSOP Circuit Choctaw Stop
The first stop of the new World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) season wrapped up this week with WSOP Choctaw, a series in Oklahoma consisting of 20 ring events that generated over $3.2 million in prize money.
The series, which ran July 17-28, culminated with two-time bracelet winner Justin Lapka taking home $252,282 and his third Circuit ring after denying runner-up Gregg Merkow a third ring of his own. You can read all about Lapka’s WSOPC Choctaw victory here.
Across the other ring events in Choctaw, there were several first-time Circuit ring victories by up-and-coming grinders, as well as a few wins from veteran players who added to their ring collections.
Sawyer, Pupillo Among First-Time Ring Winners
The series got underway with Event #1: $130 Seniors Kick-Off, an event that drew 597 runners for a prize pool of $59,700. Durant, Oklahoma’s Gregory Knighton shipped the event for $10,619, his first ring and just his second WSOP cash after a 17th-place finish in last year’s Choctaw $250 Super Seniors event for $644.
Another early first-time ring winner was Rachel Sawyer, a poker player from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma who has burst onto the mid-stakes tournament scene with deep runs in WSOP Circuit and RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) events. Sawyer topped a field of 189 runners in Event #4: $300 No-Limit Hold’em 6-Handed for a ring and $10,669.
The victory made for Sawyer’s second five-figure score of the summer as she finished runner-up in the LIPS South Point National Championship in Las Vegas for $10,796.
Later in the series, James Pupillo added to his family’s poker legacy as he took down Event #14: $250 No-Limit Hold’em for his first ring and $8,790. James Pupillo is the brother of reigning GPI Mid-Player of the Year Nick Pupillo, who himself is a bracelet winner and three-time Circuit champion.
Fakhimi & Thomas Add Rings
Meanwhile, Shawn Fakhimi won his third ring, a Main Event seat and $6,529 in Event #16: $400 Ring And Seat as he denied Timothy Gilliam a maiden ring. Fakhimi’s first ring dates back to 2008 when he won a $550 event at Caesars Palace for $60,815, while his second ring came at Harrah’s Tunica in 2012 in a $365 event for $22,071.
The Choctaw stop closed out with Louisiana’s Benjamin Thomas win Event #20: $400 No-Limit Hold’em - The Finale for his second ring and $14,977. Thomas earned his first ring in 2018 in a $400 event at Biloxi that brought him $12,659.
Other players who picked up rings in Choctaw included Erick Argote (Event #9: $300 No-Limit Hold’em - $19,452), Van Vandergriff (Event #19: $300 No-Limit Hold’em - The Twilight - $16,968) and Michael Brown, who topped a 1,048-player field in Event #5: $500 The Gargantuan to win $68,326.
A full list of Circuit ring winners at the WSOPC Choctaw stop is available in the table below.
2024 WSOPC Choctaw Ring Winners
| EVENT | ENTRANTS | PRIZE POOL | WINNER | HOMETOWN | PRIZE (IN USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WSOPC Event #1: $130 Seniors Kick-Off | 597 | $59,700 | Gregory Knighton | Durant, OK | $10,619 |
| WSOPC Event #2: $250 No-Limit Hold’em | 264 | $52,800 | Marshal Decker | Denison, TX | $11,690 |
| WSOPC Event #3: $300 Monster Stack | 463 | $111,120 | Alessandro Bertoncini | Cortlandt Manor, NY | $21,149 |
| WSOPC Event #4: $300 No-Limit Hold’em 6-Handed | 189 | $45,360 | Rachel Sawyer | Broken Arrow, OK | $10,669 |
| WSOPC Event #5: $500 The Gargantuan | 1,048 | $440,160 | Michael Brown | Flower Mound, TX | $68,326 |
| WSOPC Event #6: $250 No-Limit Hold’em | 208 | $41,600 | Ben Ross | Arlington, TX | $9,784 |
| WSOPC Event #7: $300 No-Limit Hold’em Bounty | 286 | $54,340 | Joseph Ferguson | Catoosa, OK | $11,803 |
| WSOPC Event #8: $250 Ladies Event | 125 | $25,000 | Gloria Davila | Pearland, TX | $6,335 |
| WSOPC Event #9: $300 No-Limit Hold’em | 414 | $99,360 | Erick Argote | Monterrey, Mexico | $19,452 |
| WSOPC Event #10: $500 Big O | 225 | $94,500 | Kelechi Amadi | Bossier City, LA | $21,873 |
| WSOPC Event #11: $250 Seniors Event | 429 | $85,800 | Peter Clive | St. Charles, MO | $16,666 |
| WSOPC Event #12: $300 No-Limit Hold’em Double Stack | 394 | $94,560 | David Soskin | Highland, AR | $18,751 |
| WSOPC Event #13: $600 Mystery Bounty | 404 | $127,260 | Garry Ware | Denton, TX | $24,700 |
| WSOPC Event #14: $250 No-Limit Hold’em | 185 | $37,000 | James Pupillo | Gilbert, AZ | $8,790 |
| WSOPC Event #15: $250 No-Limit Hold’em | 214 | $42,800 | Michael ONeill | Waterford, Ireland | $9,978 |
| WSOPC Event #16: $400 Ring And Seat | 183 | $60,390 | Shawn Fakhimi | United States | $6,529 |
| WSOPC Event #17: $400 No-Limit Hold’em One-Day Turbo | 177 | $58,410 | Jay Allen | Independence, MO | $14,006 |
| WSOPC Event #18: $1,700 WSOP Million Dollar Main Event | 1,017 | $1,540,755 | Justin Lapka | Saint Paul, MN | $252,282 |
| WSOPC Event #19: $300 No-Limit Hold’em - The Twilight | 373 | $89,520 | Van Vandergriff | Dallas, TX | $16,968 |
| WSOPC Event #20: $400 No-Limit Hold’em - The Finale | 193 | $63,960 | Benjamin Thomas | Baton Rouge, LA | $14,977 |
Connor Richards is an Editor & Live Reporter for PokerNews and host of the Life Outside Poker podcast. Connor has been nominated for two Global Poker Awards for his writing.
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