Sahuarita resident Robert Willems finished 53rd in a $1,500 No-Limit Hold’Em tournament Sunday at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, taking home $8,822 for his efforts.

Willems’ cash was the largest single payout of any Tucson-area poker player so far this series, just topping the $8,807 won by Troy McLain in a $2,000 No-Limit Hold’Em event earlier.

Through the first 28 tournaments there have been 14 local players who’ve cashed a combined 15 times for $68,220.

2009 Southern Arizona WSOP cashers

Michael Barnes (Tucson)
Event #4 (1000 NLHE) … 498th … $2,056
Deb Blair (Vail)
Event #17 (1000 Ladies NLHE) … 36th … $4,581
Michael Brady (Tucson)
Event #7 (1500 NLHE) … 256th … $2,742
Robert Crawford (Tucson)
Event #4 (1000 NLHE) … 112th … $3,571
George DiCambio (Oro Valley)
Event #3 (1500 Omaha 8) … 79th … $3,270
Sean Getzwiller (Tucson)
Event #7 (1500 NLHE) … 264th … $2,742
Event #11 (2000 NLHE) … 65th … $6,770
Dale Kunkel (Tucson)
Event #3 (1500 Omaha 8) … 52nd … $4,924
Troy McLain (Tucson)
Event #11 (2000 NLHE) … 47th … $8,807
Kenneth Meyer (Tucson)
Event #24 (1500 NLHE) … 157th … $3,044
Justin Newton (Tucson)
Event #11 (2000 NLHE) … 128th … $4,194
Stuart Spivack (Tucson)
Event #25 (2500 OH8/S8) … 19th … $6,434
Linda Transue (Tucson)
Event #7 (1500 NLHE) … 177th … $3,047
Daniel Welch (Tucson)
Event #7 (1500 NLHE) … 151st … $3,276
Robert Willems (Sahuarita)
Event #28 (1500 NLHE) … 53rd … $8,822