Season 17 of the Major Series of Poker: The Tour (MSPT) delivered one of its biggest moments yet as the circuit rolled into Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, for the $1,100 Diamond Poker Championship Major Event. Playing on familiar turf, June “Oh Geez” Kim rose above a massive field to secure a career-defining victory.

The $1 million guaranteed tournament shattered records outside Las Vegas, drawing 3,220 entries and generating a huge $3,121,900 prize pool. When the dust settled, it was Kim standing tall, capturing his first MSPT title and a $397,950 payday after defeating fellow Arizonan Carlton Taylor heads-up. Taylor walked away with an impressive $345,649 for second place.

Turning Down the Deal—and Getting Rewarded

According to MSPT reports, Kim made a bold—and ultimately brilliant—decision during four-handed play. Despite sitting at the bottom of the chip counts, he was the only player to decline an ICM deal, choosing instead to continue battling for the trophy.

That gamble paid off. Kim eliminated Gold Poker State Champion Zilong Zhang in third place, then negotiated a heads-up deal with Taylor before closing out the win.

“I wanted to keep playing,” Kim explained. “This opportunity doesn’t come along very often. I’ve made deals in the past where it came back to hurt me, so I wanted to play it out for the trophy.”

MSPT Diamond Poker Championship Final Table Results

• 1st: June Kim – $397,950* (2,850 POY points*)

• 2nd: Carlton Taylor – $345,649* (2,850 POY points*)

• 3rd: Zilong Zhang – $185,000 (2,700 POY points)

• 4th: Larry Goldstein – $140,500 (2,550 POY points)

• 5th: Jonah LaBranche – $117,100 (2,400 POY points)

• 6th: Johnny Watson – $93,700 (2,250 POY points)

• 7th: Anastassios Leotsarakos – $70,200 (2,100 POY points)

• 8th: Doug Jacoby – $58,500 (1,950 POY points)

• 9th: Brett McCollum – $46,800 (1,800 POY points)

*Denotes heads-up deal

“I’ve Never Been That Excited Playing Poker”

Speaking with PokerNews’ Chad Holloway after the win, Kim—who entered the event with $288,511 in live tournament earnings—described the victory as the thrill of a lifetime.

“It felt f***ing incredible,” Kim said. “What a wild ride. I should have been out so many times. Having the rail behind me made it even more special. I’ve never been that excited playing poker.”

The final day saw 345 players return in the money, including several MSPT heavyweights such as Anthony Scarborough, Justin Lynch, Season 16 Player of the Year Jake Long, three-time MSPT champion Nick Barksdale, and MSPT Hall of Famer Rich Alsup. PokerNews personalities Chad Holloway and Season 12 POY Kyna England were also in the mix.

Along with the six-figure score, Kim earned a seat to the $3,500 MSPT Championship Rock ’N’ Roll Poker Open (RRPO) in Florida later this year.

Side Event Winners at Talking Stick Resort

The Scottsdale stop ran from January 24 to February 1, featuring six tournaments with buy-ins ranging from $300 to $1,110.

• $800 Tag Team Event: Tong Shao & Deng Yuxuan – $40,000

• Event #2: $300 Turbo NLH: Brian Perzinski

• Event #3: $300 PLO: Steve Dembiec

Each event added to a packed and successful series at one of Arizona’s premier poker destinations.

What’s Next on the MSPT Schedule?

With Arizona in the books, MSPT heads to the Venetian Las Vegas from February 4–7 for the $1,600 buy-in Poker Bowl X, featuring a $1,000,000 guarantee.

Later in the month, the tour travels to Potawatomi Casino in Wisconsin for the Club Poker Championship (February 19–22), highlighted by a $1,110 Main Event and another $1 million guaranteed prize pool.

After a record-breaking turnout and a hometown hero lifting the trophy, the MSPT Diamond Poker Championship set a high bar—and June Kim made sure the moment was unforgettable.