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Take a Look at the Circuit Ring Winners from the WSOP Circuit Choctaw Stop

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Editor & Live Reporter U.S.
3 min read
WSOPC Choctaw

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.

Read About Justin Lapka's WSOPC Choctaw Main Event Win!

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 Sawyer
Rachel Sawyer

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.

James Pupillo
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 Fakhimi
Shawn Fakhimi

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

EVENTENTRANTSPRIZE POOLWINNERHOMETOWNPRIZE (IN USD)
WSOPC Event #1: $130 Seniors Kick-Off597$59,700Gregory KnightonDurant, OK$10,619
WSOPC Event #2: $250 No-Limit Hold'em264$52,800Marshal DeckerDenison, TX$11,690
WSOPC Event #3: $300 Monster Stack463$111,120Alessandro BertonciniCortlandt Manor, NY$21,149
WSOPC Event #4: $300 No-Limit Hold'em 6-Handed189$45,360Rachel SawyerBroken Arrow, OK$10,669
WSOPC Event #5: $500 The Gargantuan1,048$440,160Michael BrownFlower Mound, TX$68,326
WSOPC Event #6: $250 No-Limit Hold'em208$41,600Ben RossArlington, TX$9,784
WSOPC Event #7: $300 No-Limit Hold'em Bounty286$54,340Joseph FergusonCatoosa, OK$11,803
WSOPC Event #8: $250 Ladies Event125$25,000Gloria DavilaPearland, TX$6,335
WSOPC Event #9: $300 No-Limit Hold'em414$99,360Erick ArgoteMonterrey, Mexico$19,452
WSOPC Event #10: $500 Big O225$94,500Kelechi AmadiBossier City, LA$21,873
WSOPC Event #11: $250 Seniors Event429$85,800Peter CliveSt. Charles, MO$16,666
WSOPC Event #12: $300 No-Limit Hold'em Double Stack394$94,560David SoskinHighland, AR$18,751
WSOPC Event #13: $600 Mystery Bounty404$127,260Garry WareDenton, TX$24,700
WSOPC Event #14: $250 No-Limit Hold'em185$37,000James PupilloGilbert, AZ$8,790
WSOPC Event #15: $250 No-Limit Hold'em214$42,800Michael ONeillWaterford, Ireland$9,978
WSOPC Event #16: $400 Ring And Seat183$60,390Shawn FakhimiUnited States$6,529
WSOPC Event #17: $400 No-Limit Hold'em One-Day Turbo177$58,410Jay AllenIndependence, MO$14,006
WSOPC Event #18: $1,700 WSOP Million Dollar Main Event1,017$1,540,755Justin LapkaSaint Paul, MN$252,282
WSOPC Event #19: $300 No-Limit Hold'em - The Twilight373$89,520Van VandergriffDallas, TX$16,968
WSOPC Event #20: $400 No-Limit Hold'em - The Finale193$63,960Benjamin ThomasBaton Rouge, LA$14,977

*Photos courtesy WSOP Circuit

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Editor & Live Reporter U.S.

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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