Michigan's Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, played host to the Heartland Poker Tour's (HPT) Championship Open event last week, where the tour not only crowned their final and most important champion of the season but also officially determined their Season Five Player of the Year.

27-year old online pro Phil Delaney, was the last player sitting in Michigan of a 297 person starting field, that held among its ranks 17 past HPT champions.  For the victory over what would surely then have to be seen as the toughest HPT field of the year, Delaney earned $127,058 and a revered HPT Champion Jacket.

Delaney narrowly outlasted past HPT champion John Kurfman, who after winning the HPT Tama, Iowa event in March, made it all the way to another HPT final table before eventually falling in fifth place.  If Kurfman had survived he would have officially been named the HPT Player of the Year, but as close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades (as my Pappy use to say) that title instead went to Minnesota's Jeremy Dresch, who won back-to-back HPT events in November. 

For earning the HPT 2009 Player of the Year title, Dresch will receive a free buy-in to every HPT event of 2010.

The Top 6 finish positions of the Heartland Poker Tour Championship Open were as follows:

1st.  Phil DeLaney- $127,058

2nd.  Kyle Whiteaker- $63,529

3rd.  Ben Castle- $38,118

4th. David LaGattuta- $29,647

5th.  John Kurfman- $25,412

6th.  Bruce Swart- $21,176

For more information visit www.HeartlandPokerTour.com.


Story by Mark Anderson