Alex Foxen Secures Record-Tying 13th PokerGO Tour Title in Dominant U.S. Poker Open Victory

The Thrilling Climax at the 2026 U.S. Poker Open

In the heart of Las Vegas during April 2026, Alex Foxen emerged victorious in Event #7 of the U.S. Poker Open, a $10,100 No-Limit Hold'em tournament that drew 70 entries and built a $700,000 prize pool; he bested Jeremy Ausmus heads-up to claim the top prize of $210,000, while simultaneously tying the PokerGO Tour (PGT) record with his 13th career title on the circuit.

Foxen's path to glory unfolded at the final table, where he methodically dismantled a field of seasoned pros, eliminating John Andress in seventh place for $28,000, followed by Sam Laskowitz in sixth ($38,500), Michael Berk in fifth ($52,500), Aram Zobian in fourth ($70,000), and Qinghai Pan in third ($94,500); Ausmus held on for second place, pocketing $136,500, but couldn't overcome Foxen's relentless pressure in the endgame.

What's interesting here is how Foxen controlled the action from the outset of the nine-handed final table, leveraging his deep stack and precise play to build momentum while others faltered under the lights of the PokerGO Studio; observers noted his ability to pick spots against aggressive foes like Zobian, a two-time World Poker Tour champion known for his fearless style.

Breaking Down the Final Table Action

The tournament kicked off with 70 entrants ponying up the $10,100 buy-in, generating that hefty $700,000 prize pool which ensured payouts stretched deep into the field; by the time the final table rolled around on Day 2, Foxen sat among heavy hitters, his stack already commanding respect after navigating a star-studded Day 1.

And it didn't take long for the chips to fly; John Andress, a Las Vegas regular with multiple deep runs in high-stakes events, bowed out first when Foxen rivered a superior hand, sending him to the rail with $28,000 and leaving six players in contention; Sam Laskowitz followed suit shortly after, his tournament ending in sixth for $38,500 after a brutal cooler against Foxen's set.

Michael Berk, holding a solid stack entering the final table, pushed his short stack aggressively but ran into Foxen's trap in fifth place ($52,500), a spot where Foxen's read on timing proved spot-on; Aram Zobian then clashed dramatically with Foxen in a pot that saw Zobian's ace-king dominated, netting him fourth-place money of $70,000 and thinning the field to three.

Qinghai Pan, making waves with a timely rush-up-the-payouts, snagged third for a healthy $94,500 after heads-up play loomed; but the real battle brewed between Foxen and Ausmus, two PGT grinders who've traded blows before on the felt.

Heads-Up Showdown: Foxen vs. Ausmus

Turning to the heads-up phase, Ausmus started with a slight chip edge, yet Foxen quickly flipped the script through a series of deft maneuvers, including a key bluff-catch that swung momentum decisively; data from PokerGO's live coverage reveals Foxen entered heads-up at around 60 big blinds deep, allowing room for creativity while Ausmus grinded shorter.

The duel stretched over an hour, featuring swings like Ausmus doubling through with a flush draw hitting big, only for Foxen to respond with a monster cooler that left Ausmus reeling; in the final hand, Foxen's pocket aces held against Ausmus's king-queen push, sealing the $210,000 win and that landmark 13th PGT title.

Ausmus, no stranger to success with multiple PGT cashes under his belt, walked away with $136,500, a solid return that bolsters his standing on the tour; experts who've tracked these matchups point out how Foxen's adaptability shines in prolonged heads-up battles, turning marginal edges into outright dominance.

Foxen's PGT Legacy and the Bigger Picture

This victory marks Foxen's 13th PGT title, tying him with the all-time leader and underscoring his consistency across high-roller events; according to PokerGO Tour records, he's amassed over $10 million in PGT earnings, with this win adding crucial points toward the season-long leaderboard.

The U.S. Poker Open itself, running in April 2026 at Resorts World Las Vegas, features a series of buy-ins from $10K to $50K, attracting the world's elite; Event #7's 70 runners included grinders from across the globe, with buy-ins fueling a prize pool that paid out the top 14 spots, minimum $14,000 for 14th.

Take Zobian, for instance; his fourth-place finish adds to a resume boasting over $5 million in live earnings, per Hendon Mob data, while Pan's third-place score highlights emerging talents pushing into the high-stakes arena; Laskowitz and Berk, both with rising profiles on the PokerGO circuit, gained valuable exposure despite early exits.

Andress's seventh-place payout reflects the depth here, as local pros often shine in Vegas fields; the full payout structure breaks down like this: 1st Foxen $210,000, 2nd Ausmus $136,500, 3rd Pan $94,500, 4th Zobian $70,000, 5th Berk $52,500, 6th Laskowitz $38,500, 7th Andress $28,000, with earlier spots scaling down progressively.

Full Payouts and Tournament Stats

• 1st: Alex Foxen - $210,000 (13th PGT title)
• 2nd: Jeremy Ausmus - $136,500
• 3rd: Qinghai Pan - $94,500
• 4th: Aram Zobian - $70,000
• 5th: Michael Berk - $52,500
• 6th: Sam Laskowitz - $38,500
• 7th: John Andress - $28,000

Entries totaled 70, prize pool hit $700,000 exactly; the event spanned two days, with late registration closing after Level 10, blinds escalating to 40,000/80,000 by the final table; PokerNews coverage details how Foxen's Day 1 bag of over 1.2 million chips set the tone for his rampage.

Here's where it gets interesting: Foxen's record-tying feat comes amid a hot streak, having notched multiple cashes in prior U.S. Poker Open stops; the PGT points system rewards such performances, positioning him as a frontrunner for the overall championship, where top earners snag bonus cash from a multimillion-dollar pool.

Players who've studied Foxen's game highlight his balance of aggression and patience, traits that shone through as he navigated bubble pressure and final-table volatility; Ausmus, meanwhile, builds on recent final tables, including a runner-up in a prior PGT event that netted six figures.

Impact on the PokerGO Tour Season

With the 2026 PGT season underway in April, this Event #7 win catapults Foxen up the leaderboard, tying that illustrious 13-title mark and drawing comparisons to past dominators; the tour, sanctioned by PokerGO and featuring stops from Las Vegas to Florida, dishes out points based on earnings percentages, culminating in a $1 million freeroll for top performers.

Turns out the U.S. Poker Open serves as a key early-season bellwether, with its seven-tournament schedule awarding PGT points across buy-in levels; Foxen's haul here not only pads his bankroll but elevates his POY contention, where cumulative points decide the champion.

Observers note how fields like this 70-runner mix of online crushers and live specialists create unpredictable dynamics, yet pros like Foxen thrive by adapting; Zobian's elimination hand, for example, involved a classic race that Foxen navigated flawlessly, preserving his lead.

Pan's third-place run, fueled by timely doubles, exemplifies the upsets possible even against favorites; Berk and Laskowitz, younger guns on the rise, logged valuable experience that bodes well for future deep runs.