The $25,400 buy-in event drew a field of 83 entrants who created a prize pool of $2,075,000 - more than double the original guaranteed prize pool. Jason Mercier topped a tough final table (David Peters, David "Doc" Sands, Barry Hutter, Sean Winter etc.) to lay hands on the $652,800 first-place prize. Mercier now has close to $16 million in live tournament earnings, which is good for a 10th-place spot on the all-time money list.
"It's pretty awesome because for as many tournament as I've won, I've never actually had my family here. I knew this tournament series was a pretty decent opportunity to make a final table and have them come watch. Anytime there's a series here I'm really trying so that they can come. I was just happy to still be in. My Dad got here for the start, took off some work, and it was cool to have them both of my parents here and my sister here to watch me win," said Mercier after the victory.
source: card player and Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open blog
