WPT Festa Al Lago 2010 Won By Randal Flowers

Randal Flowers has won the WPT Festa Al Lago 2010, after defeating a field of 335 players over six days to take down the prestigious title, as well as collect the $831,500 first place prize.
The 22 year-old pro from Dallas, Texas amazingly won his first WPT tournament back in Jun 2009 at the WPT Spanish Championship, and with his latest win becomes the youngest person to hold  multiple World Poker Tour titles.
Flowers, who already has $2,221,562 in online wins, now takes his live tournament career earnings to an impressive $1.8 million, and commenting on his second WPT victory said:
“It’s much sweeter. It’s double the prize and it’s a lot more attention. Hopefully winning number two will help me get some recognition. Nobody even knew I won in Barcelona.”
In fact, Flowers almost found himself on the rail just short of the final table after pushing his remaining chips holding K-10 into Michael Benvenuti’s pocket K’s. A gut shot on the turn developed into a straight on the river and by the time the final table of six players was reached, Flowers held the chip lead.
Skip Wilson was the first to exit in 6th place ($112,840) when he moved all-in holding Q-10 on a 10-6-5 flop but was called by Benvenuti with pocket Q’s.
However, all the remaining scalps went to Flowers, starting with Andy Frankenberger in 5th ($161,200) whose pocket 5’s ran into Flowers’ pocket tens, shortly followed by Jason Koon in 4th ($225,680).
Noah Schwartz was the next to depart in 3rd ($344,968), after being dealt K-Q and re-raising Flowers all-in only to find himself badly dominated by his opponent’s A-Q.
As the heads-up phase then got underway, Flowers held around a 2 to 1 chip advantage over Michael Benvenuti but managed to wrestle his remaining chips off him on the fourteenth deal. By the time all the chips went to the centre of the table on the turn, Flowers held 9c-3d and top pair on a 9s-6c-5s-4c board with his opponent holding Qs-7s and chasing the flush.
An Ah on the river sealed his fate and Michael Benvenuti collected $564,200 for his impressive runner-up finish, while the WPT title, $831,500 in prize-money and a WPT World Championship ticket went to deserved winner Randal Flowers.
Joking after the tournament, Benvenuti quipped; “Awesome, I get to hold up nine-three off-suit!”