The 26-year-old former loans officer booked his ticket to Las Vegas with a win in the WSOP Circuit event at Harrah's Rincon Casino and Resort near San Diego Tuesday, earning him a seat in the 2009 WSOP Main Event and a $125,775 payday.

But the Rincon ring is just the latest success story for the Guyana-born Pilgrim.

He has quickly emerged as the hottest player on the WSOP Circuit this season after cashing five times at WSOPC Atlantic City this past December and booking an $83,955 win at a prelim there in early March.

"Now look out," Pilgrim said. "I'm shooting for the gold bracelet."

Pilgrim, who has only been playing live tournaments for a little more than a year, beat well-known Las Vegas-based pro Esther "E-Tay" Taylor heads-up to book the win in California, stopping her bid to become the first female WSOP Circuit main event winner in history.

Jennifer Harman finished second in the 2005 WSOPC event at the Rio in Las Vegas, and Kathy Liebert took third at Rincon in 2007.

WSOP Media Director Nolan Dalla claims Pilgrim is a burgeoning poker star, blessed with "personality, likability, and great poker talent," and has great expectations for him at the WSOP this summer.

"To know me is to love me," Pilgrim joked.

The WSOP Circuit will hit Caesars Palace in Las Vegas from April 11-29 and Harrah's New Orleans from May 8-20 before the 2009 WSOP starts at the Rio May 27.

 

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