PartyPoker Irish Poker Championships, Galway, Ireland, €2,000 No-limit Hold'em, 2nd-4th January 2009

Entrants: 255

Buy-in: €2,000

1. Rory Rees Brennan, €160,000
2. Chris Dowling, €90,000
3. Ben Vinson, €55,000
4. David Poole, €30,000
5. David Curtis, €20,000
6. Krystof Gwvsko, €15,000
7. Peter Murphy, €12,500
8. Derek Murray, €10,000

23-year-old Dubliner Rory Rees Brennan celebrated late into the night after scooping €160,000 and the title at the first major poker tournament of 2009, the €2,000 buy-in (9% withheld) PartyPoker.com Irish Poker Championship. The Pokerevents.ie organized event took place at the Radisson SAS Hotel in Galway between the 2-4 January and attracted 255 runners.

Brennan has been a professional poker player since he left University College Dublin in 2006 after completing a course in commerce.