Tom McEvoy is the Champion of Champions

Tom McEvoy is the Champion…

For the newly crowned 2009 WSOP Champions Invitational winner, Tom McEvoy, the win was about much more than just the stunning 1970 Corvette Stingray that he picked up as his prize on Sunday.

"The car was just the icing on the cake," McEvoy told journalists, "Beating all my colleagues that were talented enough to win the Main Event was what it was really about."

To help celebrate the 40th anniversary of the World Series of Poker, the Champions Invitational brought together 20 Main Event champions to compete for the car and the newly created Binion's Cup.

McEvoy, who won the WSOP Main Event in 1983 when there were just 108 entrants and a $540,000 first-place prize, said winning this prestigious event was also about gaining the respect of the entire poker world.

"I'm totally overjoyed," he said. "One of the reasons I was so determined to win this was to re-establish myself and prove to everyone, that I can still do this."

After a first day Sunday that saw a huge crowds gather to catch a glimpse of the star-studded field, the final table began Monday with Carlos Mortensen holding the lead and big names such as Doyle Brunson, Huck Seed and 2008 WSOP Main Event Winner Peter Eastgate all ready to pounce..

It eventually came down to a heads up showdown between McEvoy and 2002 Main Event champ Robert Varkonyi but, with McEvoy holding a 3:1 chip lead from the outset, the contest was short lived.

"I had a great time and it was a great success for me to even come in second," Varkonyi said. "I would have loved to win it, but these are all champions. It was probably the toughest field ever."

Now the champion of champions, McEvoy is putting the 2009 World Series of Poker on notice.

"I think I proved that I can compete at the highest level against the best players in the world," he said, “I’d love another WSOP Main Event title!”

Publicatie Datum : 05/06/2009

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