WSOP 2025

2025 WSOP: Mark Darner Stages Epic Comeback to Win $2,500 NLHE Bracelet

by Nathan Fryar June 11, 2025
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Mark Darner 2025 WSOP Event #29: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Bracelet Winner

The 2025 WSOP at Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas rolled out a classic in Event #29: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em. After a series of mixed games events, it was time for good old-fashioned NLHE with no twists, just skill, cards, and some nerves. A lot of nerves, actually. The tournament drew an impressive 1,493 entries, building a prize pool of $3,321,925, with $496,826 reserved for the champion.

When the dust settled, it was Mark Darner who captured his maiden WSOP bracelet and nearly half a million dollars after a thrilling heads-up battle. Darner, a veteran of the World Series of Poker for over a decade, finally broke through on the biggest stage. His prior best was a fourth-place finish back in 2014 in the $3,000 NLHE Six-Handed event, worth $132,169. With dozens and dozens of WSOP cashes under his belt, Darner now sits at over $1.7 million in live tournament earnings.

It was no easy ride, as David McGowan stood between Darner and glory and it could’ve easily been him taking a picture with the bracelet in his hand. McGowan, also a longtime grinder at the WSOP with his first cash dating back to 2016, came close to capturing his own bracelet but had to settle for the runner-up spot and $331,163. McGowan’s most notable score prior to this was a third-place finish in a $3,000 NLHE event at the 2024 WPT World Championship, where he binked $354,316.

The final table featured a mix of hopefuls running for their first bracelet and one notable WSOP champion. Mixed-game specialist Dylan Linde, the only bracelet winner at the table, was once again in contention but came up short in fourth place for $173,435. Linde, who won his bracelet in the 2021 $1,500 Omaha Mixed Games event, added yet another deep run to his already impressive résumé.

Dylan Linde 2025 WSOP
Dylan Linde

2025 WSOP Event #29: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Final Table Results

PlacePlayerCountryPrize
1United States of America Mark DarnerUnited States$496,826
2United States of America David McgowanUnited States$331,163
3Germany Christopher PuetzGermany$238,204
4United States of America Dylan LindeUnited States$173,435
5Spain Jon VallinasSpain$127,841
6Ukraine Yaroslav OhulchanskyiUkraine$95,415
7United States of America Alexander GreenblattUnited States$72,119
8United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Dragos TrofimovUnited Kingdom$55,212
9United States of America Ian O’haraUnited States$42,819

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2025 WSOP Event #29: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em Final Table Recap

From a starting field of 225 returning players, just 17 bagged and tagged for the final day of Event #29: $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em. Spain’s Jon Vallinas led the charge coming into Day 3, but when the final table was set, it was Germany’s Christopher Puetz at the top of the leaderboard, closely followed by David McGowan.

The action at the ten-handed final table kicked off with Aram Oganyan running pocket queens straight into McGowan’s pocket kings. This was Oganyan’s second final table appearance of the summer, and this time he bowed out in tenth place for $33,646. Not long after, Ian O’Hara followed him to the rail when his king-jack couldn’t catch up to Dylan Linde’s ace-seven, which improved to top pair on the flop. O’Hara finished ninth for $42,819.

Dragos Trofimov took a stand with jack-nine suited but ran into Darner’s pocket sevens in the big blind. The board 2♠6♠K♦A♠5♦ offered no help, and Trofimov was out in eighth for $55,212. Darner struck again shortly after, putting pressure and shoving from the small blind with ace-three and getting called by Alexander Greenblatt’s king-ten. An ace and a three on the flop sealed it, despite a ten giving Greenblatt brief hope on the turn. He exited in seventh for $72,119.

McGowan began to separate himself from the pack, extending his chip lead when his pocket eights held against Yaroslav Ohulchanskyi’s pocket fours. The Ukrainian took home $95,415 for sixth place. Then came a key moment when Darner applied pressure from the small blind with king-ten and Jon Vallinas called from the big blind with ace-eight. The flop came 9♣10♠6♥, giving Darner the lead, and no help came on the turn or river. Vallinas, the start-of-the-day chipleader, settled for fifth place and $127,841.

Fourth place went to mixed-game maestro Dylan Linde, who once again came up short of a second bracelet. He lost a pivotal flip to McGowan, whose K♣Q♠ flopped a king to defeat Linde’s A♦6♦. Linde banked $173,435, adding to his $11 million in career live earnings.

McGowan’s good run continued, getting the better of Christopher Puetz in a critical preflop clash. He shoved with queen-nine and was called by Puetz holding king-queen. It looked grim for McGowan until the 9♣6♠9♦ flop hit the felt. Puetz couldn’t catch up despite a promising 10♦ on the turn, and the A♦ river sealed his fate. German walked away with $238,204 for third.

David McGowan 2025 WSOP
David McGowan

Heads-up play began with McGowan holding a slight chip advantage over Darner. At one point, it looked like McGowan was on the brink of victory with Darner down to just a couple of big blinds. But Darner doubled three times, overtaking the lead with pocket eights versus McGowan’s pocket sixes.

McGowan managed to even the stacks again, but the end was near. In the final hand, he moved all-in with ace-eight and was snap-called by Darner’s pocketkings. The board ran out 7♥7♣Q♠10♠6♠, clean for the kings, and just like that, Mark Darner was crowned champion of the $2,500 No-Limit Hold’em event, earning his first WSOP bracelet and a well-deserved $496,826. Runner-up David McGowan pocketed a respectable $331,163.

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* Hands and photos courtesy of PokerNews and WSOP

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Nathan Fryar

Nathan Fryar is a former professional poker player turned poker author.

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