We'd like to say a big congratulations to Schuyler Thornton, the winner of the Pearl River Poker Open main event here at the Pearl River Resort in Choctaw, MS.
The 26 year old Thornton, a resident of Corpus Christi, TX, didn't get his start playing poker online like a lot of people his age. He actually became more enthralled with the sport during his senior year of college at the University of Texas where he would tag along with a friend of his to various home games around Austin. He said he experienced a steep learning curve, but it wasn't long before he found his way in to higher stakes cash games and parlayed his winnings into bigger live tournaments. His best live cash was just 2 months ago when he placed 1st in the $400 Event #1 at the River Series event at WinStar Casino in Thackerville, OK, cashing for $77,404. A second 1st place finish in just 2 months is a great addition to his ever-growing poker resume.
In regards to this event, he finished the Day 1C flight with the overall chip lead and never looked back. Granted, there were a few rare occasions when he relinquished the lead to another player at the final table, but in the end, he says he stuck to his strategy and played his game and was able to capitalize on a few huge hands to propel him into the champions seat.
Overall, it was a great weekend of poker for everyone involved.
Here are a few shots of the winner for your viewing pleasure.
