Event #5: Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better

Connor Drinan took down his second career WSOP gold bracelet and the $163,252 first-place prize Sunday night after defeating Travis Pearson heads-up in a back-and-forth battle in Event #5: $1,500 Omaha Hi/Lo 8 or Better.

The 32-year-old poker professional remained humble in victory.

"I just played my normal game and ran good," Connor said when asked about his victory.

Drinan, who claims to have played poker since he was a freshman in high school, has already amassed over $11 million in career earnings according The Hendon Mob. Drinan's largest career score came just last year after taking down the 2020 WSOP Online $10K Super Millions event on GGPoker for just over $1.4 million along with his first gold bracelet.

Event #5: $1,500 Omaha Hi-Lo 8 or Better Final Table Results

Day 3 began with 15 players in contention but quickly dwindled down to a final table of 10 after just over two hours of play as the short-stacked players were quickly eliminated.

Drinan went into both Day 3 and the final table as the chip leader, which also featured four-time WSOP bracelet winner Robert Mizrachi. Drinan set the tone early by eliminating Yehuda Buchalter shortly after final-table play began. However, Drinan would lose his top chip position at multiple points during the final table as play carried on.

Eventual runner-up Pearson was able to accumulate chips throughout the final table as he had a hand in eliminating both Kris Kwiatkowski (7th place) and Micah Brooks (5th place).

Things actually looked promising for Mizrachi after he scooped a massive pot against Drinan and Curtis Phelps, but he was unable to hold onto that momentum and fell in third place — thanks largely to a key pot where Drinan called correctly against Mirazachi on the river in a large pot.

Heads-up play began with Drinan enjoying a nearly three-to-one chip lead over Pearson, but Pearson would not go down without a fight. Pearson evened up the counts after drilling a straight flush and even took over the chip lead after calling Drinan down in a large pot where Drinan mucked at showdown. However, Drinan would eventually re-take the chip lead after winning a series of pots with escalating blinds and finished the job after getting Pearson all in on the flop with a set of sixes against Pearson's top pair.

"This win is dedicated to Mike Fasco for the expensive O/8 lessons," Drinan added.

Travis Pearson completed from the button and was raised by Connor Drinan out of the big. Pearson called.

Drinan bet on the     flop and Pearson called.

The   fell on the turn and Drinan bet again. This time Pearson raised and Drinan called.

The   completed the board and Drinan led out. Pearson called and Drinan revealed      for a straight and low. Pearson mucked and Drinan scooped the pot.

Connor Drinan	11,500,000	1,500,000
Travis Pearson	3,500,000	-1,500,000

Board:      

Travis Pearson:     
Connor Drinan:     

After a four-bet pot preflop in which Drinan was the aggressor, the two headed to the flop.

Drinan bet out the flop, Pearson raised, and Drinan called.

Drinan bet on the turn and the river, too. Pearson called both, but Drinan tabled the winning hand when he filled up fours full of aces on the river to take a two-to-one chip advantage in heads-up play.

Connor Drinan	10,000,000	3,500,000
Travis Pearson	5,000,000	-3,500,000

After a series of back and forth pots, Connor Drinan has chipped up a bit to take the lead in the heads-up battle for the bracelet.

Connor Drinan	9,000,000	1,000,000
Travis Pearson	6,000,000	-1,000,000

Robert Mizrachi raised from the button and was three-bet by Connor Drinan from the small blind. Only Mizrachi called.

Both players checked on the     flop and Drinan checked again on the   turn — prompting a bet from Mizrachi. Drinan called.

The   completed the board and Drinan checked to Mizrachi again, who bet and sent Drinan deep into the tank.

"What's wrong with making runner-runner?" Mizrachi remarked.

Eventually Drinan tossed in a call and Mizrachi announced, "Fours."

Drinan revealed      and Mizrachi mucked — awarding the pot to Drinan.

Connor Drinan	10,000,000	5,000,000
Travis Pearson	4,000,000	-1,000,000
Robert Mizrachi	1,000,000	-4,000,000

After a series of small pots, Robert Mizrachi commented that all three players are just about even in chips, which is indeed the case.

Robert Mizrachi	5,000,000	2,000,000
Travis Pearson	5,000,000	-2,500,000
Connor Drinan	5,000,000	500,000

Connor Drinan opened from the cutoff and was called by Robert Mizrachi in the small blind. Sandy Sanchez then went all-in for slightly more than the raise from the big blind, and both Drinan and Mizrachi called.

Drinan and Mizrachi checked on both the     flop and   turn; however, Mizrachi led out for a bet when the   completed the board. Drinan then raised and Mizrachi folded after a some thought.

Drinan tabled      for broadway, which was good against the      of Sanchez, who was eliminated in fourth place.

Travis Pearson	7,500,000	400,000
Connor Drinan	4,500,000	-775,000
Robert Mizrachi	3,000,000	-300,000
Sandy Sanchez	0	-1,800,000

Travis Pearson raised from the small blind and was called by Robert Mizrachi in the big.

Pearson bet and was called by Mizrachi on the     flop; however, Mizrachi folded facing another bet from Pearson on the   turn after a bit of thought.

Travis Pearson	4,500,000	1,100,000
Robert Mizrachi	1,000,000	-1,000,000

The action has been rather slow since the final four players arrived back from break with the majority of the hands ending preflop or in a split pot at showdown.

Connor Drinan	4,700,000	500,000
Travis Pearson	3,700,000	0
Sandy Sanchez	3,600,000	0
Robert Mizrachi	3,000,000	-500,000