Joe McKeehen Wins 2026 SHRPO Championship: A Triumphant Return

Joe McKeehen, the 2015 WSOP main event champion, has added another prestigious title to his resume by winning the 2026 Seminole Hard Rock Poker Open (SHRPO) championship. McKeehen outlasted a field of 673 entrants in the $5,300 buy-in no-limit hold’em event, securing a payday of $462,600 and pushing his career earnings to $22,601,442.

The SHRPO Championship is the highlight of a two-week festival featuring over 60 tournaments. By the close of late registration on day 1B, the event had attracted 673 entries, creating a prize pool of $3,262,704. McKeehen's victory earned him 1,680 Card Player Player of the Year points, bringing his total for the year to 2,540 points.

McKeehen's final table opponents included notable players such as Loni Hui, who finished in third place with a payout of $250,000, and Darren Rabinowitz, who placed ninth and took home $51,000. The final hand saw McKeehen's A♦Q♦ against David Greufe's K♦9♦, with the board running out Q♣6♦2♣4♦8♣, securing McKeehen's victory and the SHRPO guitar tower trophy.