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In the record-busting $ 1 000 buy-in Stimulus Special, the initial 6 012 player entry field required an extra fifth day to be completed, but ended with 24-year-old Californian pro Steve Sung declared the winner after a heads up with Panayote "Pete the Greek" Vilandos. The prize pool generated by the sheer volume of the field reached $5 410 800.
The final table came down to chip leader Dan Heimiller with an almost one million cip lead over his nearest challenger, Steve Sung. They were followed by Panayote Vilandos, James Matz III, Jeff Oakes, Larry Sidebotham, Phong Huynh, Nathan Mullen and Danny Fuhs.
Sung's career winnings of $2 million will be substantially boosted by his $771 106 first prize; the young Korean-born pro has made it through to four WSOP and two WPT final table events in the past but this is his first winner's bracelet. He was congratulated by well known pros Daniel Alaei, Erick Lindgren, the Mizrachi's and Amnon Filippi on his victory.
In the 30 minute heads up, the final hand saw Sung's pocket kings hold up against his opponent's pocket eights in a preflop all-in confrontation with Vilandos, who took home a still useful $473 283 for his second placing. The win compensated Sung for an earlier failure in the $40 000 buy-in 40th Anniversary event the previous day.
