2018 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Hollywood, Florida
Event #2
$360 Omaha Hi-Lo
Entries: 113
Prize Pool: $33,900
August 2, 2018 

The last time Pete Walsworth played a tournament at the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood, he walked away with a trophy and a six-figure payday, taking down the $5,000 no-limit hold’em last April for $141,976.

The next time he came into the tournament area at the Seminole Hard Rock, it was more of the same.

As the clock struck midnight and Thursday turned into Friday on the first full day of the 2018 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open, Walsworth won the very next tournament he played in at the same venue.

The Sarasota native and hedge fund manager won the biggest Omaha hi-lo tournament in the history of the Seminole Hard Rock. He defeated 113 entries and took home $8,300 in a heads-up deal with Phil Hui.

It was a nice rebound for Walsworth, who in between Seminole Hard Rock wins had a bit of a rough summer in Las Vegas.

“It feels really good,” said the 37-year-old. “I kind of felt like I wanted to rebuild my confidence a little bit. The World Series [of][Poker] didn’t go too well and a couple other tournaments I played. I figured I’d head over here. I kind of semi-consider Hard Rock Hollywood my home even though I live in Sarasota. I’ve done pretty well here.”

As a fan of playing non-hold’em events, he thought the way the schedule was made brought in some players.

“I think the Hard Rock made a really smart move kind of bunching in the mixed events over the next couple of days and early next week,” said Walsworth. “I’m pretty happy to see them growing. I enjoy playing them.”

The next few days of the series features a $360 HORSE and a $360 PLO 8-or-better, which will attract many of the same players.

With the big field, it naturally brought out some top-tier talent. Aside from Walsworth and Phil Hui, the final table featured John Holley, who finished third, and Joel Harwood, father of poker pro Loni Harwood. The elder Harwood finished seventh for $1,288.

While Walsworth plays all of the games well, he did add some tricks to his arsenal from Watching Hui, Holley and Harwood on the felt.

“I actually learned a lot from playing with them,” said Walsworth. “Limit O8 is probably not my specialty, I’d rather play a PLO tournament, but I picked up a lot and had a lot of fun battling with them and some of the better players in the game.”

With 113 entries in the field, the top 15 spots got paid out. Here are the results:

1st: Pete Walsworth – $8,300*
2nd: Phil Hui – $7,887*
3rd: John Holley – $3,695
4th: Aaron Kupin – $2,373
5th: Claudangelo Beaudoin – $1,797
6th: Steven Roth – $1,492
7th: Joel Harwood – $1,288
8th: Ralph Broderick – $1,136
9th: Arturo Morgan – $1,000
10th: George Fountoulakis – $881
11th: Hoyt Verner Jr. – $881
12th: Stephanie Chung – $881
13th: Michael Moed – $763
14th: James Hagan – $763
15th: Jonathan Rieger – $763

* Indicates adjusted payout for a deal