2012 Wsop Event 53

Wednesday July 4, 2012 : TEXAS LAWYER IN BIG WORLD SERIES OF POKER WIN (Update)
 
Neil Willerson bests a field of 3,166 to triumph in NLHE event 53
 
There's something about players with a legal background – in this year's World Series of Poker several have won or cashed in various events – that makes them formidable opponents.  On Tuesday Texas lawyer Neil Willerson (36) illustrated the trend when he survived a field of 3,166 entrants to win event 53 – $1,500 buy-in No-Limit Hold'em and claim his first bracelet and a whopping $737,248 in prize money.
 
Willerson's victory was all the more remarkable because he entered the heads up against the highly competent Russian player Vladimir Mefodichev with a 3 to 1 chip disadvantage, but still managed to fight his way back into contention and eventually eliminate his opponent.
 
Other final table pay-outs looked like this:
 
Vladimir Mefodichev  $456,217 
Hugh Henderson  $322,866  
Zachary Humphrey  $233,708 
Matthew Graham  $171,135 
Hai Chu  $126,770 
Bryan Piccioli  $94,971 
Randy Ashe  $71,933  
Ryan Hughes  $55,093