The more things change the more they stay the same. The Asian Poker Tour completed its first featured event of the year over the weekend but despite attracting big numbers to the APT Philippines Championships 2018 at Resorts World Manila, it was two familiar faces – Filipino pro Lester Edoc and Japan’s Iori Yogo – ruling the roost once again.
Edoc romped to the Player of the Series title after being crowned APT Main Event champion, beating a field of 355 entries to claim the Php2.67 million top prize. He then returned just a few days later to finish runner-up to Yogo – last season’s Player of the Year – in the APT Championships Event. Yogo took home Php2.4 million for his victory while Edoc pocketed another Php1.6 million.
Edoc is one of the Philippines’ highest ever tournament earners with three major titles already this year while Yogo claimed six side event wins in 2017 and also won the Php55,000 two-day event at the APT Philippines Championships last week.