Pham Triumphs at The Star Sydney
The World Poker Tour returned to Sydney for the 2025 WPT Australia Festival, held at The Star Sydney from September 18 to October 1. The highlight was the $5,500 AUD buy-in WPT Australia Championship, which drew 600 entries and built a $1,961,000 USD prize pool. Alan Pham emerged victorious, claiming $364,958 USD, etching his name onto the Mike Sexton Champion’s Cup, bringing his Hendon Mob-recorded career earnings past $1 million
WPT Australia Championship Final Table Results
The six-handed final table was an all-Australian affair, broadcast live on YouTube. Runner-up Jordan Bautista earned $243,013 USD in his bid for a first major title, but it was Pham who captured the championship after 145 hands of play.
| Rank | Player | Prize (AUD) | Prize (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alan Pham | $588,211 | $364,958 |
| 2 | Jordan Bautista | $371,693 | $243,013 |
| 3 | Jarrod Thatcher | $273,928 | $179,094 |
| 4 | Luo Ming Liu | $203,971 | $133,356 |
| 5 | Corey Kempson | $153,458 | $100,330 |
| 6 | Jiaxu Chen | $116,656 | $76,270 |
Key Hands & Tournament Highlights
Pham entered the final table second in chips with more than 100 big blinds, trailing only Bautista, who had nearly double his stack. Bautista struck first, eliminating Jiaxu Chen with pocket sevens against king-jack, and followed up by busting Corey Kempson. Pham then scored his own knockout when pocket jacks held firm against Luo Ming Liu’s queen-eight. Bautista regained momentum by eliminating Jarrod Thatcher with ace-king versus king-jack, setting the stage for heads-up play.
Lengthy Heads-Up Duel
The heads-up battle stretched across dozens of hands. Bautista began with the lead, but Pham steadily chipped away, seizing momentum with a full house. The decisive hand came when Bautista three-bet shoved with ace-high into Pham’s flopped two pair. The turn left Bautista drawing dead, securing the title for Pham.
Champion’s Reaction
“It feels surreal, it feels like a dream!” Pham told WPT anchor Lynn Gilmartin after lifting the trophy. The win marks a career breakthrough, eclipsing his previous best score of $84,606 at the 2023 APT Vietnam and adding to his WPT Prime Gold Coast High Roller victory for $47,710 the same year.
Festival Highlights
Beyond the Main Event, the festival featured marquee tournaments including the $20,000 AUD Super High Roller, the $5,000 AUD Mad Max 8-Handed event, and the $1,500 AUD Australian Poker Cup. Last year, James Obst claimed the championship for $398,512, continuing the tournament’s reputation as one of Australia’s premier poker stages.
