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So, the other night I was at the Golden Nugget in Las
Vegas watching the filming of the Fox Superstars of
Poker. There I was, mingling with the crowd, doing my
usual thing, when a couple of poker players decided
it was high time for some real gambling!
Phil Ivey had just finished his match and was about
to head to the Bellagio, where he had a seat reserved
for the $4000/$8000 game. World Poker Tour commentator
Mike Sexton had also finished his match and the two
men had become involved in a heated discussion. Well,
knowing Mike from my travels around the globe, I decided
to ask him what he and Phil were discussing. Phil, it
transpires, had suggested to Mike that they go play
golf. Sounds like a good idea, nothing strange about
that, right? Well, perhaps when you consider that is
was 6:45 pm and pitch black outside, maybe then, and
only then, would you begin to consider this suggestion
of Phil’s slightly strange. But this city never
sleeps, and if no one sleeps, then why not go play golf?
Even in Las Vegas the golf courses close, yet there
is one course, right by the airport, that is open until
around 7pm. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the Calloway
Golf Center.
The course is a nine-hole, par-three pitch-and-putt
that has floodlights everywhere, so that even when the
sun goes down, you can still squeeze in that late night
round. And that is just what Mr. Phil Ivey had in mind.
You see, when you’re Phil Ivey, life presents
you with some tough choices. Let’s see, you’ve
just busted out of a televised event and now you’re
pondering what to do. First, you can head to the opulent
luxury of the Bellagio poker room, where a seat awaits
you in the biggest live game in the world. Or you can
go play golf with Mike Sexton and try to fleece him
out of a few bucks. How much, I hear you ask? Well,
let’s look at the facts here. Phil is weighing
the option of playing $4000/$8000 blinds, where it’s
not uncommon to see pots in the realm of $100,000, against
playing golf with Mike Sexton. So how much do you think
they were talking about playing for? Let’s just
say that it’s more than that stack of chips in
front of you right now, and that means just about all
of you! Yep, even you Devilfish!
This is where Rich comes into the picture. Rich is
Mike’s caddy and friend of many years who decides
they better find out what time this course closes. Well,
just when it looked like Phil might be heading to the
Bellagio after all, Rich had this conversation with
the manager at the course:
RICH: Yeah hi, what time do you guys
close?
KYLE: Our last tee time is at 7:30pm
sir, no exceptions!
(Well, there is no way the guys will be able to get
there from the Golden Nugget in 30 minutes on a Saturday
night.)
RICH: Do you follow poker on TV?
KYLE: Sure, I love watching poker on
TV!
RICH: If I told you that Mike Sexton
and Phil Ivey were on their way down and were looking
to play some golf, could you stay open a little longer?
KYLE: PHIL IVEY? MIKE SEXTON? For those
guys we will stay open!
So, now I was presented with a decision of my own.
I could go watch a movie with the girlfriend, or I could
go watch two guys gamble for more money that I had ever
seen over a game with sticks and little white balls.
I decided that this match was too good to miss, so I
asked both gentlemen whether they would mind if I tag
along to watch, and write about it in Bluff Magazine.
They both agreed readily and, after bribing the girlfriend,
it was game-on. I jumped into the car and headed straight
to the course, hoping to get there ahead of the other
guys. When I arrived Phil was not only at the course,
he was on the putting green practicing with his professional
caddy, just waiting for his dinner to arrive. According
to Phil, they were serving the catch of the day –
it was Sexton Snapper. So, in a space of 20 minutes,
Phil had received his car from valet, driven to the
course, called his caddy, got his gear on and was ready
to dine.
The match began under the lights, and let’s just
say that Mike had given Phil some pretty incredible
odds. When I was told what Mike was laying Phil, I almost
wanted to play myself, but since I can’t play
golf for a lick (and neither could Phil, according to
Mike), I decided that Phil and Mike’s banter would
be enough entertainment for the night. After three holes,
Mike was stuck a few WSOP buy ins, and things were looking
rough. So he did what all great poker players do when
they’re stuck – he upped the stakes a little.
But Mike just didn’t seem to be in Ivey’s
League that night. After losing the next two holes,
Mike was now down five holes to none and appeared to
go on FULL TILT! Meanwhile, Phil looked like he was
right in the middle of a PARTY! (Sorry guys, ’couldn’t
resist that one!) So now Mike starts to complain about
the bet to Phil. Well, in this town, once your chips
have crossed the betting line, they stay in! And, on
the golf course, once you have hit that first ball off
the tee, you’re in till the end. So after a little
more complaining and moaning about the way things were
panning out, Mike Sexton made a birdie and finally won
a hole. You would have thought that he had just gone
runner runner royal flush to beat aces full for the
WPT championship. It seemed like a weight had been lifted
from his shoulders and he was about to turn things around.
That is, of course, until the next hole when Phil put
it six feet from the pin and went on to win another
hole.
So at the end of it all, Phil Ivey had delivered a
severe shlacking to Mike Sexton on the midnight greens
at Calloway Golf Center. But these guys were just getting
started. After taking care of the staff at the Calloway
Center, the boys headed out for another nine holes.
Tee time? 9:30pm! Did Mike get to taste fish that night?
Did Phil Ivey ever make it to the Bellagio? Does Phil
Ivey now wear Party Poker jerseys? Is Phil Ivey unstoppable
on all green surfaces? These questions and more can
be found somewhere, but not here, because this article
is finished.
So until next time… May the flop be with you…
always.
THE HUX
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