Ethan Mellish Wins WPO Event 9 for $10,960 in Three-Way Deal

2025 Winter Poker Open
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Tampa, Florida
Event 9
$400 No-Limit Hold’em (Re-Entry)
$25,000 Guaranteed
Entries:  158
Prize Pool:  $52,930
February 2, 2025

Ethan Mellish, 2025 WPO Event 9 champ
PlaceFirst NameLast NameCityStatePrize Amount
1EthanMellishTampaFL$10,960 *
2AnthonyLicastroNaplesFL$8,850 *
3MostafaAboalmajedCairoFL$7,850 *
4KennethSohlTampaFL$4,460
5RobertWinslerSarasotaFL$3,320
6HughMembrinoVeniceFL$2,520
7CarlosMartirBrandonFL$1,960
8JulioLopez GalvezTampaFL$1,550
9LawrenceDowlingOrlandoFL$1,260
10WalterThornton IiiRiverviewFL$1,260
11BryanCuzinoNew Port RicheyFL$1,080
12RajeshMehtaTampaFL$1,080
13JeromeYoungbarFairlandIN$940
14KarlManouchakianTampaFL$940
15StevenSinclairTampaFL$850
16ChristopherBobinettIndianapolisIN$850
17MarkGlazewskiHernandoFL$800
18CharlesMitchell IiiSatellite BeachFL$800
19MikeAhmadLutzFL$800
20WasimAssafOrlandoFL$800

Championship: Scott Heiligman Defeats Ryan Hogan for the Title

$1,700 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool: $637,500 | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante

Scott Heiligman

With the board reading Tc8d3d9h, Scott Heiligman bet 2,000,000 and Ryan Hogan called.

The river was Qs, Heiligman checked, and Hogan moved all in. Heiligman thought for several moments before he called.

“Good call,” Hogan told him.

Heiligman showed Ts3s for flopped two pair and Hogan flipped over 9c7c. Heiligman was the player at risk for his last 4,650,000 to leave Hogan with only 650K.

Hogan doubled up twice before Heiligman was able dispatch him to take the prize of $127,020.

1st: Scott Heiligman – $127,020 + WPO Trophy
2nd: Ryan Hogan – $84,520

Full recap to come later.

Ryan Hogan

Championship: Gabe Fuller – 3rd Place ($62,230)

$1,700 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool: $637,500 | Structure | Payouts
Level 31:  125,000/250,000 with a 250,000 ante
Players Remaining:  2 of 425

Gabe Fuller

Scott Heiligman folded his button, Ryan Hogan moved all in from the small blind and Gabe Fuller called for about 1,000,000.

Hogan: AhQc
Fuller: KsJs

Fuller had two live cards, had a glimpse of a jack in the window, but both made a pair on the AsJd6s flop. The Ac turn and Qd river finished board, Hogan made a boat, and Fuller’s great run came to an end.

Ryan Hogan – 9,350,000 (37 bb)
Gabe Fuller – Eliminated in 3rd Place ($62,230)

Championship: Sandro Vianna De Sa – 4th Place ($46,280)

$1,700 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool: $637,500 | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  100,000/200,000 with a 200,000 ante
Players Remaining:  3 of 425

Sandro Vianna De Sa

Scott Heiligman moved all in for 2,650,000 from the small blind and Sandro Vianna De Sa called in the big blind.

Heiligman: QdTd
Vianna De Sa: 9h9d

Yet another flip at the final table and Heiligman slammed the door pretty hard when he flopped a diamond flush on the 8d5d3d board. It finished Kh turn and 2c river to send the pot to Heiligman.

Vianna De Sa was down to four bigs and eliminated by Gabe Fuller two hands later.

Scott Heiligman – 5,500,000 (28 bb)
Sandro Vianna De Sa – Eliminated in 4th Place ($46,280)

Championship: Scott Heiligman Doubles Through Gabe Fuller

$1,700 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool: $637,500 | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  100,000/200,000 with a 200,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 425

Gabe Fuller opened to 400,000 and Scott Heiligman moved all in for 1,575,000 from the button. The blinds folded and Fuller called with the bigger stack.

Heiligman: Ad8c
Fuller: 6c6h

Heiligman needed to improve to double up but missed the KhQh5d flop. The Ts turn was no help but he hit the As river to double.

Scott Heiligman – 3,650,000 (18 bb)
Gabe Fuller – 2,100,000 (11 bb)

Championship: Updated Counts

$1,700 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool: $637,500 | Structure | Payouts
Level 30:  100,000/200,000 with a 200,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 425

Not much happened over the previous level, but stacks fluctuate a lot when four-handed, and each orbit is getting expensive. Everyone held the chip lead at some point now; here’s a look at the counts on the break.

Seat 2: Gabe Fuller – 4,050,000 (20 bb)
Seat 3: Scott Heiligman – 2,075,000 (10 bb)
Seat 5: Sandro Vianna De Sa – 6,750,000 (34 bb)
Seat 8: Ryan Hogan – 4,025,000 (20 bb)

1st: $127,020 + WPO Trophy
2nd: $84,520
3rd: $62,230
4th: $46,280

Championship: Updated Counts; Blinds Up

$1,700 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool: $637,500 | Structure | Payouts
Level 20:  100,000/150,000 with a 150,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 425

Seat 2: Gabe Fuller – 1,750,000 (12 bb)
Seat 3: Scott Heiligman – 5,700,000 (38 bb)
Seat 5: Sandro Vianna De Sa – 5,825,000 (39 bb)
Seat 8: Ryan Hogan – 3,500,000 (23 bb)

1st: $127,020 + WPO Trophy
2nd: $84,520
3rd: $62,230
4th: $46,280

Championship: Gabe Fuller Doubles Through Scott Heiligman Part 2

$1,700 WPO Championship (Re-Entry)
Prize Pool: $637,500 | Structure | Payouts
Level 28:  75,000/125,000 with a 125,000 ante
Players Remaining:  4 of 425

Gabe Fuller

Gabe Fuller open-shipped for 1,175,000 from the button and Scott Heiligman quickly called from the small blind.

Fuller: AdKc
Heiligman: 8d8h

They were racing again and Fuller needed to improve to double once again. The QdTh7c flop changed little, the 6c turn left Fuller drawing thin but he paired his ace on the As river.

“I love you,” Fuller joked with the dealer after his third double.

Gabe Fuller – 2,600,000 (21 bb)
Scott Heiligman – 5,750,000 (46 bb)