Can Anyone Stop Him? Brock Wilson Wins Third PokerGO Event in a Month
Jeremy Ausmus had nearly half the chips in play with five left at the start of Day 2 of Event #1: $5,000 NLH at the 2026 U.S. Poker Open, and he had significantly more than that when he got to heads-up play with Brock Wilson. But not even Ausmus could stop the red-hot Wilson, who won his third PokerGO event in about a month's time and the top prize of $120,900.
The first event of the USPO in Las Vegas drew 93 runners for a prize pool of $465,000. Ausmus was in control for most of the final table, which also included Justin Zaki, Natalie Ferguson and Rodger Johnson, but 2026 has been all Wilson after he won two events and the overall series title at last month's PokerGO Cup.
"I'm definitely running good," Wilson told PokerNews in a winner's interview. "I feel like when you're winning it's also easier to go with your reads, so I'm definitely going with a little more of my gut. It's been working out. So it feels really good when you ... do what your gut wants you to do rather than just what you're supposed to do."
Event #1: $5,000 NLH Final Table Results
| Place | Player | Country | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brock Wilson | United States | $120,900 |
| 2 | Jeremy Ausmus | United States | $76,725 |
| 3 | Justin Zaki | United States | $55,800 |
| 4 | Natalie Ferguson | United States | $41,850 |
| 5 | Rodger Johnson | United States | $32,550 |
| 6 | Chino Rheem | United States | $23,250 |
| 7 | Kent Stephens | United States | $18,600 |
Going With His Gut
The action moved fast on Day 2 with just five players remaining, and it started with Ferguson flopping a set of queens to ladder past Johnson.
Ferguson then fell in fourth when her queen-jack was dominated by Wilson's king-queen. After that, Ausmus knocked out Zaki to set up what looked like it could be a quick heads-up match against the short-stacked Wilson.
But that isn't how it went down. Wilson doubled up after a roller coaster runout that saw both players flopping pairs, Ausmus turning two pair, and Wilson rivering a better two pair. That gave Wilson life before a second crucial double where he made a big hero-call with fourth pair.
"That's an example of a spot that I was like, 'You know what, my gut's served me well recently. I'm going to just continue to do it until it fails.' And fortunately, in that spot he was bluffing," Wilson said.
Wilson was in the driver's seat from there ahead of a cooler that finished off Ausmus, who flopped top pair against Wilson's trips before eventually calling a river jam.
Someone In His Corner
Wilson had someone in his corner, literally, as he played out the final table in the middle of the PokerGO Studio. His girlfriend, fellow poker pro Cherish Andrews, was seated at an adjacent table playing Event #2 and periodically sweated the action.
A little over a year ago, Andrews stood in nearly the exact spot that Wilson gave his interview as she accepted the GPI Female Player of the Year award, giving a speech that included some kind words about her supportive boyfriend.
"It's awesome," Wilson said about having Andrews for support. "We just connect on so many levels, but having a (shared) poker sort of understanding is just even more than you can really ask for in a girlfriend."
"She's not running the best right now, but I think you'll see me or her in the winner's circle again, hopefully soon."
That wraps up PokerNews coverage of Event #1, but check out the live reporting hub for other coverage of the USPO in Las Vegas.
*Photos courtesy of PokerGO and Antonio Abrego
