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.

Rachel SawyerLater 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.

James Pupillo

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.

Shawn FakhimiThe 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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