WPT Australia Champions: Stories of the Last Four Winners

Find out how David Tang, Richard Li, James Obst, and Alan Pham claimed their WPT Australia titles. We revisit the thrilling finals and their unique paths to victory.

In September 2024, the World Poker Tour returns to Australia: from September 10 to 30, The Star Sydney will host WPT Australia—one of the region’s premier poker festivals. Ahead of this year’s edition and the battle for the main trophy, let’s revisit the final tables and memorable victories of the last four WPT Australia champions: David Tang, Richard Lee, James Obst, and Alan Pham. Each of them followed a unique path to the title, and their triumphs have become significant milestones for Australian poker. The Last Four WPT Australia Champions Over the past four years, the WPT Australia Main Event has crowned the following champions: 2022: David Tang 2023: Richard Lee 2024: James Obst 2025: Alan Pham Each of these players not only claimed a substantial cash prize, but also inscribed their name in the series’ history, joining the ranks of Mike Sexton WPT Champions Cup winners. 2025: Alan Pham’s Breakthrough and Crossing the $1,000,000 Mark Last year, Alan Pham captured his first WPT title by winning the WPT Australia 2025 Main Event at The Star Sydney. The tournament, with a A$5,000 buy-in, drew 600 entries, and Pham not only emerged as champion but also took home the largest prize of his career—A$588,211. This win pushed his total live tournament earnings past the $1,000,000 mark. The final table was an all-Australian affair, featuring six players. Jordan Bautista began the day as chip leader, with Pham in second. Bautista quickly eliminated two opponents, after which Pham knocked out Luo Ming Liu with pocket jacks. Bautista then sent Jarrod Thatcher to the rail, setting up a heads-up showdown between the two leaders. In the decisive duel, Pham started behind but steadily closed the gap and then pulled ahead after making a full house. In the final hand, Bautista three-bet all-in with ace-high after Pham flopped two pair. Pham called and locked up the victory on the turn. After his win, Pham admitted he felt like he was dreaming: “It’s unreal, like I’m asleep!” he told WPT host Lynn Gilmartin. With this victory, Pham not only secured his first WPT title but also made a significant leap in his poker career earnings. WPT Australia 2025 Final Table Results 1st place: Alan Pham — A$588,211 2nd place: Jordan Bautista 3rd place: Jarrod Thatcher 4th place: Luo Ming Liu 5th place: (not specified) 6th place: (not specified) 2024: James Obst’s Return and Long-Awaited WPT Title In 2024, James Obst added a WPT title to his impressive list of poker achievements by winning the WPT Australia Main Event. This victory marked another milestone in his return to professional poker after a lengthy hiatus. Obst stepped away from poker in 2018 to pursue a career in professional tennis. In 2019, he made a brief appearance at the WSOP, and four years later returned to Las Vegas, where he cashed nine times at the 2023 summer series, including a fourth-place finish in the prestigious $50,000 Poker Players Championship. The following year, he won his second WSOP bracelet in the $10,000 Limit Seven Card Stud Championship, and just a few months later, he became a WPT champion. Obst entered the A$5,000 buy-in event, which attracted 396 entries, with a massive stack—210 big blinds. At the official six-handed final table, he continued to dominate. In heads-up play against Travis Endersby, Obst held roughly a four-to-one chip lead. It took him just five hands to seal the victory. In the key hand, Endersby moved all-in with KJ, but Obst held AK. Both players paired their king, but Obst’s ace kicker proved decisive. He claimed the title and A$585,359. WPT Australia 2024 Final Table Results 1st place: James Obst — A$585,359 2nd place: Travis Endersby 3rd place: (not specified) 4th place: (not specified) 5th place: (not specified) 6th place: (not specified) 2023: Richard Lee — The Biggest Win in WPT Australia History In 2023, Richard Lee claimed the largest cash prize in WPT Australia history. The American took down the Main Event at The Star Gold Coast, which drew 600 entries. For first place, Lee received an impressive A$854,890 and his first WPT title. The pivotal moment at the final table came in a hand against Gary Lin, where Lee doubled up with pocket kings against A8, seizing the chip lead. Soon after, he eliminated Lin in fourth place when his jacks held against Lin’s nines. With three players remaining, Martin Kozlov knocked out Nino Marotta, setting up a heads-up battle with Lee. The duel lasted only a few hands: Kozlov moved all-in with QJ, while Lee held AT. The board didn’t improve Kozlov, and Lee was crowned the 2023 champion. The A$854,890 prize remains the record for the WPT Australia Championship over the past four years. WPT Australia 2023 Final Table Results 1st place: Richard Lee — A$854,890 2nd place: Martin Kozlov 3rd place: Nino Marotta 4th place: Gary Lin 5th place: (not specified) 6th place: (not specified) 2022: David Tang’s Unexpected Triumph David Tang’s victory in 2022 almost didn’t happen: the Melbourne native originally planned to skip WPT Australia at The Star Gold Coast to attend the AFL Grand Final in his hometown. However, he couldn’t get a refund for his ticket, so he ended up going to the tournament. That chance decision turned into the biggest success of his career. Before this, Tang had never won more than $100,000 in live tournaments, and his last live event was at the 2020 Aussie Millions. At the WPT Australia 2022 Championship, he outlasted 710 opponents and reached the final table with the fifth-largest stack out of six. During a long three-handed battle, Tang managed to stay alive thanks to timely double-ups against Po Ho. He then eliminated Naj Ajez in third place, setting up a heads-up match with Ho. In the final hand, Po Ho moved all-in with A8s (clubs), while Tang held KTs (diamonds). The flop brought two diamonds, and the turn brought a third, giving Tang a flush and securing the win. He received A$647,470 and became the first player to win a WPT Main Tour title on Australian soil. WPT Australia 2022 Final Table Results 1st place: David Tang — A$647,470 2nd place: Po Ho 3rd place: Naj Ajez 4th place: (not specified) 5th place: (not specified) 6th place: (not specified) WPT Australia 2024 Festival: Schedule and Key Events This year, the WPT Australia series returns to The Star Sydney from September 10 to 30. Players can look forward to three weeks packed with tournament action: a total of 36 events across various disciplines and formats are scheduled. The Main Event—WPT Australia Championship with a A$5,000 buy-in—kicks off on September 24 (Day 1A), with two more starting flights on September 25 and 26. All players who advance will meet on Day 2 (September 27), and the final table will be broadcast live on September 30. In addition to the Main Event, the schedule features several other major tournaments: A$1,500 WPT Prime Australia Championship (September 17–22) A$1,250 Australian Poker Cup A$500 Ladies Australian Championship — women’s event A$1,350 Mystery Bounty — format with “mystery prizes” A$10,000 WPT Australia High Roller — for high-stakes players A$2,000 Mini Championship A$5,000 Australian PLO Championship — Pot-Limit Omaha This variety of formats and buy-in levels makes the festival appealing to players of all experience levels and bankrolls. Poker Formats and Terms: What You Need to Know Main Event — the centerpiece of the series, usually featuring the largest prize pool and attracting the most attention from players and media. At the WPT Australia Championship, the buy-in is A$5,000, and the winner receives not only a substantial cash prize but also their name engraved on the Mike Sexton Cup. Final Table — the concluding stage of the tournament, featuring the last 6–9 players. The biggest prizes are awarded at the final table, where the champion is decided. Heads-up — the duel between the last two players in the tournament to determine the winner. ITM (In The Money) — finishing in the money; players who place high enough receive payouts according to the tournament’s prize structure. Mystery Bounty — a popular format where players receive random prizes of varying amounts for knocking out opponents, adding a lottery element and extra excitement to the tournament. High Roller — tournaments with high buy-ins, designed for professionals and players with large bankrolls. What This Means for PPPoker Club Players For PPPoker club members, the experiences and achievements of recent WPT Australia champions are a great example of how different playing styles and life circumstances can lead to major victories. The stories of David Tang, James Obst, Richard Lee, and Alan Pham show that in poker, it’s not just technical skill that matters, but also the ability to seize opportunities, stay focused, and make unconventional decisions. By analyzing hands and strategies from WPT Australia final tables, PPPoker players can adopt best practices: how to manage your stack in the late stages, when to take risks, and when to wait for the right moment to double up. In addition, the variety of formats at WPT Australia—from classic NLH to Mystery Bounty and PLO—highlights the importance of versatility: regularly playing different disciplines on the PPPoker platform will help you prepare for any tournament scenario. Finally, participating in online tournaments and club leagues on PPPoker is an excellent way to gain experience that will prove valuable at live series. Keep an eye on the schedule, study success stories, and don’t miss your chance to take your game to the next level—perhaps you’ll be the next major tournament champion!