Negreanu and Hellmuth Struggling at 2016 WSOP

Daniel Negreanu and Phil Hellmuth are two of the best known names in the whole of poker, with the superstars racking up huge scores and 20 WSOP bracelets between them over the past few decades. While Negreanu, 41, picked up two WSOP bracelets in 2013, including winning the WSOP Asia Pacific Main Event for US$1,087,160, only last year Phil Hellmuth, 51, captured a record 14th bracelet after taking down the $10k Seven-Card Razz for $271,105.
Nevertheless, the 2016 WSOP has been less kind to the two poker veterans, and is fast shaping up to be one which they would soon rather forget. Already 51 out of this year’s 69 events are underway or have been completed in Las Vegas, and with the Main Event just a fortnight away, both players have been struggling to string together any meaningful results.
Since the series got underway on May 31st, Negreanu has entered numerous events, but has cashed on just six occasions for $107,254, with his best result so far a 4th place finish at the $1,500 Seven Card Razz event for $42,030.
Hellmuth’s results have been even less spectacular, having cashed just three times for $67,098, with his best finish coming this week at the $5k No Limit Hold’em event, which he finished in 8th place for a $46,553 payday. Despite his lacklustre performance, however, the 1989 WSOP Main Event champion is staying upbeat and after exiting the last tournament tweeted:
“Sadly, I busted in 8th place in @WSOP $5,000 NLH, HOWEVER it was my 118th Cash and 54th Final Table at WSOP: AND I have #MAXPOSITIVITYNOW.”
While Negreanu and Hellmuth continue their quest to chase more gold bracelets, another veteran of the game, Mike Matusow, had high hopes coming into WSOP 2016, and called for backers ahead of the series. As he tweeted at the time:
“Any and all rich friends interested in staking me for wsop direct message me and let me how much your interested (healthy and hungry)#focus. And for all doubters I’ll last longer or cross book any tourney we both play together#confident”
Unfortunately, the 48 year-old pro has cashed just twice so far for $19,635, while another player with backers, the 2004 Main Event champion Greg Raymer has just one cash and $2,780 to show for his time at this summer’s WSOP.
In the meantime, the 2000 WSOP ME champion Chris Ferguson has been faring considerably better, with the 53 year-old pro having cashed seven times for $223,098, including 4th at the $10k NLHE 6-Handed event for $183,989. Furthermore, Ferguson’s results have come despite finding himself booed by disgruntled fans still upset over his part in the Full Tilt debacle.