2016 Grosvenor Casinos GUKPT Luton main event

LITHUANIAN VICTORY IN U.K. POKER TOURNEY
 
Driton Haxhiaj bests 240 rivals to claim GBP 61,000 in the Grosvenor Casinos GUKPT Luton main event.
 
Lithuanian poker ace Driton Haxhiaj (33) collected the first prize of GBP61,000 and the trophy this week when he bested 240 rivals in the Grosvenor Casinos GUKPT Luton main event.
 
There must have been a sense of déjà vu for the Lithuanian, who won the same event back in 2013 – the first time in the tour’s ten year history that a player has won the same leg twice.
 
In fact, the final table contained three other GUKPT main event champions – Jeff Kimber (8th) won GUKPT Walsall back in 2008; Paul Vas Nunes (7th) won GUKPT Reading in 2014; and more recently Brett Kennedy (4th) won the GUKPT London earlier this year.
 
It wasnt all plain sailing for Haxhiaj, who had to defeat a determined Paul Byrne in a tough heads up before he could claim the spoils. Byrnes sterling effort was rewarded with a runner up prize of GBP52,000.
 
Other final table prize money went to:
 
3rd – GBP28,080 – Ben Vinson
4th – GBP18,240 – Brett Kennedy
5th – GBP12,480 – Jose Ruben Rubio Gamito
6th – GBP9,360 – Derek Boyle
7th – GBPO7,440 – Paul Vas Nunes
8th – GBP6,000 – Jeff Kimber
9th – GBP5,040 – Janice Phillips