The 2026 WSOP Main Event has wrapped up for the Elite Tampa Bay Poker League, and it was a summer to remember. Of our three reps who made Day 4, all three walked away with a cash — and one of them turned in a run that’s going to be talked about at the Thursday night table for years.
Dan Johnson, playing in honor of the late Tom McDonald all series long, battled back from a brutal 25,000 chip low point on Day 3 to make it into Day 4, where he ultimately cashed for $15,000. A fitting way to close out a tournament he entered carrying more than just his own chips.
Juan Rodriguez capped off an incredible summer that already included a WSOP bracelet in the $5K Seniors High Roller. He battled through a rollercoaster Day 3 — surviving a brutal KK vs. A5 cooler — and carried that fight into Day 4, where he cashed for $15,000.
And then there’s Ryan Harfouch. Simply put, he had the run of the league’s WSOP summer. After bagging a monster 216,700 on Day 1B, he built and rebuilt his stack day after day — 528,500 after Day 2, 526,000 after a grinding Day 3, and 190,000 to close out Day 4, good enough to become the only Elite Tampa Bay rep to reach Day 5. Late on Day 4 he found himself on a feature table alongside reigning WSOP Player of the Year Shaun Deeb — a nine-time bracelet winner — and held his own in that company. When the dust settled, Ryan finished in 400th place out of 9,208 entries for $40,000, capping off one of the deepest Main Event runs in league history.
Three cashes, one Day 5 appearance, and a league rep sharing a table with one of the best players in the world — that’s a WSOP summer worth celebrating. Congratulations to Dan, Juan, and Ryan, and to every single one of the 15 Elite Tampa Bay reps who made the trip out to Vegas this year. No other league sends this many players to the Main. Let’s go, Elite Tampa Bay!
New 18 week Season starts Thursday July 30! Keep your eyes on TampaBaypoker.com or the Tampa Bay Poker group on Facebook for details.
