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STATELINE - Dustin Fox has a lived a pretty charmed life.
He's the son of Edgewood at Tahoe pro Randy Fox, ensuring him free golf at one of the top courses in the country. He was a collegiate golfer at the University of Nevada. He's even worked as a caddy for numerous celebrities at the American Century Champ-ionship.
Fox's life, though, became even sweeter on Sunday as the investment banker from South Shore took second at the World Series of Poker Lake Tahoe Circuit Event's $5,000 buy-in main event at Harveys Resort and Casino.
Just before press time, Fox was the chip leader but eventually succumbed to Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, one of the world's top poker players with almost $6 million in career earnings.
So what was more nerve-wracking? Caddying for Michael Jordan or staring down Ferguson?
"Playing against Chris, for sure," he said. "Caddying for someone is a lot more laid back than playing against someone like Chris. This is the most nervous I've ever been at a poker tournament. But as time went by at the table, I calmed down and felt a lot more comfortable."
Fox won $119,276 for his second-place finish. Ferguson took home $203,649.
Fox advanced to the final table after two days of preliminary play on Friday and Saturday outside the Hard Rock Cafe. He entered the nine-person table on Sunday afternoon seventh in chips with $95,000. Seven hours later, he was guaranteed at least $119,276, the payout for second place.
But while he was in contention for the first-place payout, Fox's poker playing proved to be both a tense and pleasurable experience for his mini-entourage of friends and family.
His father paced for most of the evening. Whenever his son was involved in a hand, he'd crane his neck over the standing-room only crowd to get a better view. At one point, when Ferguson re-raised Dustin Fox for essentially all his chips, Randy Fox's heart nearly jumped out of his chest.
"It reminds me of watching him play golf tournaments," the elder Fox said. "That's how nervous I get, but he's talented. He knows what he's doing, and he's been very business-like about poker. When he started playing quite a bit, I told him to get a real job first. He's got a real job now but who knows for how long after this."
The 25-year-old Dustin Fox propelled himself into the chip lead earlier in the night by taking down a key pot when his pocket 10s beat Ferguson's A-9.
Fifth-place finisher Gabriel Testa, who pocketed $43,035, admitted it's intimidating going up against Ferguson, the five-time WSOP bracelet winner and the 2000 WSOP Main Event champion.
"Chris uses his chips as weapons," Testa said. "You never know what he has because he doesn't bet with his cards. He uses his chips to push you around. It's very difficult playing against him. I wouldn't wish it on anyone."
A more complete story with final table details will appear in Tuesday's Tribune.
He's the son of Edgewood at Tahoe pro Randy Fox, ensuring him free golf at one of the top courses in the country. He was a collegiate golfer at the University of Nevada. He's even worked as a caddy for numerous celebrities at the American Century Champ-ionship.
Fox's life, though, became even sweeter on Sunday as the investment banker from South Shore took second at the World Series of Poker Lake Tahoe Circuit Event's $5,000 buy-in main event at Harveys Resort and Casino.
Just before press time, Fox was the chip leader but eventually succumbed to Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, one of the world's top poker players with almost $6 million in career earnings.
So what was more nerve-wracking? Caddying for Michael Jordan or staring down Ferguson?
"Playing against Chris, for sure," he said. "Caddying for someone is a lot more laid back than playing against someone like Chris. This is the most nervous I've ever been at a poker tournament. But as time went by at the table, I calmed down and felt a lot more comfortable."
Fox won $119,276 for his second-place finish. Ferguson took home $203,649.
Fox advanced to the final table after two days of preliminary play on Friday and Saturday outside the Hard Rock Cafe. He entered the nine-person table on Sunday afternoon seventh in chips with $95,000. Seven hours later, he was guaranteed at least $119,276, the payout for second place.
But while he was in contention for the first-place payout, Fox's poker playing proved to be both a tense and pleasurable experience for his mini-entourage of friends and family.
His father paced for most of the evening. Whenever his son was involved in a hand, he'd crane his neck over the standing-room only crowd to get a better view. At one point, when Ferguson re-raised Dustin Fox for essentially all his chips, Randy Fox's heart nearly jumped out of his chest.
"It reminds me of watching him play golf tournaments," the elder Fox said. "That's how nervous I get, but he's talented. He knows what he's doing, and he's been very business-like about poker. When he started playing quite a bit, I told him to get a real job first. He's got a real job now but who knows for how long after this."
The 25-year-old Dustin Fox propelled himself into the chip lead earlier in the night by taking down a key pot when his pocket 10s beat Ferguson's A-9.
Fifth-place finisher Gabriel Testa, who pocketed $43,035, admitted it's intimidating going up against Ferguson, the five-time WSOP bracelet winner and the 2000 WSOP Main Event champion.
"Chris uses his chips as weapons," Testa said. "You never know what he has because he doesn't bet with his cards. He uses his chips to push you around. It's very difficult playing against him. I wouldn't wish it on anyone."
A more complete story with final table details will appear in Tuesday's Tribune.
