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Scott Clements Wins His Third World Series of Poker Gold Bracelet

The 37-Year-Old Poker Pro Topped A Field of 470 Entries To Earn $144,957

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Scott Clements defeated a field of 470 entries to take down the 2019 World Series of Poker $1,500 Dealers Choice event, securing his third gold bracelet and the top prize of $144,957. Clements won his first and second bracelets in back-to-back years in 2006 and 2007, then had to wait 12 years to secure his third. The long wait made this victory all the sweeter for the 37-year-old poker pro.

“It’s probably number one because it’s been 12 years," said Clements when reporters asked him where this bracelet ranked among his three wins. "I was pretty cocky back then when I won the first two right off. Plus, I’ve got three kids, so I can give them all a bracelet.”

Clements has accumulated six runner-up finishes in WSOP bracelet events since last winning in 2007. Understandably, he was relieved to come out on top again in this event.

“I think in all my other pictures I didn’t smile, but this one I’m definitely smiling because I got back,” said Clements. “If I’d have got second in this, it would have been pretty rough, because I’ve gotten a lot of seconds and I did not want to get another second.”

Clements entered the final day of this event in eighth chip position with 21 players remaining. He got off to a roaring start, eliminating Frankie O’Dell to surge up the leaderboard. He then knocked out former chip leader Jim Collopy in 13th place to take the outright lead.

Clements busted Michael Chow in ninth place to grow his stack to over 1.6 million. He increased his lead even further when his pat 10-8 low held up against the 8-7-5-2 draw of three-time bracelet winner Benny Glazer, who was all-in. Glazer took home $18,996 for his sixth-place showing in this event.

Just a few minutes later he was able to beat short stack Wes Self’s 7-5-4-2 draw with his 9-7-5-2. He drew an 8, while Self hit an ace to fall in fifth place ($27,027).

Tim McDermottClements had twice as many chips as the next largest stack when the final four went on dinner break. He took a hit when play resumed, running botton set into the top set of Mike Ross in pot-limit Omaha eight-or-better. Ross then knocked out Naoya Kihara in fourth place ($39,377) to draw even with Tim McDermott. Clements had nearly three times as many chip as either of his two opponents when three-handed play began.

Clements got dealt a pat 9-7 in no-limit deuce-to-seven single draw and called the all-in of Ross, who was drawing dead with a one-card draw to a ten low. He earned $58,718 as the third-place finisher.

McDermott entered heads-up play at just better than a 2-to-1 chip disadvantage. He never got much of anything going in his showdown with Clements, though. In the final hand he shoved all-in playing no-limit hold’em for 490,000 with KDiamond Suit2Spade Suit and was called by Clements, who held KClub Suit10Heart Suit. The board came down KHeart Suit10Spade Suit10Club Suit8Diamond Suit4Heart Suit and Clements flopped a full house to secure the pot and the title. McDermott earned $89,567 for his runner-up finish.

Clements took home 720 Card Player Player of the Year points for his win. It was his first POY-qualified score of 2019. He now sits in 319th place in the standings, which are sponsored by Global Poker.

Here is a look at the payouts and POY points awarded at the final table:

Place Player Winnings (USD) POY Points
1 Scott Clements $144,957 720
2 Timothy Mcdermott $89,567 600
3 Mike Ross $58,718 480
4 Naoya Kihara $39,377 360
5 David Self $27,027 300
6 Benny Glaser $18,996 240
7 Michael Watson $13,681 180

For more coverage from the summer series, check out the 2019 WSOP landing page, complete with a full schedule, results, news, player interviews, and event recaps.