Mike Watson Wins 2016 PCA Main Event for $728,325

The $5,300 PCA Main Event was held at the Atlantis Resort & Casino in Paradise Island, and attracted 928 players to create a prize pool worth $4,500,800. Six days of action later, and it was Mike Watson who would eventually triumph over the huge field to lift the title, and walk away richer by the tune of $728,325.
The Canadian pro now boasts $9,072,800 in live career earnings, to go with the $3,005,924 he has won online playing under the screen name ‘SirWatts’. Commenting later on what his remarkable victory means to him, Watson explained:
“It means a lot to win a main event with a big field and especially the PCA being one of the flagship events of the EPT, and really a premiere event in the whole poker calendar. It has special meaning to me that Steve Paul-Ambrose won it ten years ago. He was a mentor to me and that makes it extra sweet.”
The PCA Main Event was packed with top poker players from all around the world, and amongst the notable names seeing a return on their buy-ins was Steve O’Dwyer in 89th ($10,840), Jeff Gross in 68th ($12,880), Felipe Ramos in 45th ($14,900), Jason Mercier in 20th ($32,360), Fedor Holz in 18th ($32,360), and Stephen Chidwick in 14th ($41,360).
After the final table was reached, Mike Watson eventually progressed all the way through to heads-up play where he faced 2013 WSOP One Drop High Roller champion Tony Gregg for the title. The two players subsequently agreed to split the money $695,325 and $612,175 respectively, whilst leaving $33,000 for the ultimate champion.
Two hours later, the deciding hand was played with Gregg (As-8c) moving all-in on an 8h-6h-2h flop, only to be called by Watson with 7h-4s. The 7s and 5h on turn and river sealed the deal, and so Tony Gregg had to settle for a runner-up finish, while Mike Watson walked away with the PCA Main Event crown, and $728,325 in prize money.
Final Table Payouts:
1 Mike Watson $728,325
2 Tony Gregg $612,175
3 Phillip McAllister $356,020
4 Toby Lewis $267,340
5 Vladimir Troyanovskiy $207,940
6 Randy Kritzer $153,920
7 Ken Demlakian $110,220
8 Timothy Ulmer $78,540