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Joseph Ferguson claimed the RunGood Poker Series Golden Expedition Joplin $700 Main Event title, defeating Robert Little heads-up to earn $48,516 and a championship ring. The victory marks the biggest cash of his career and his second major title, following a WSOP Circuit ring he won in 2024.
Pocket sevens became the defining hand of Ferguson’s day. He was forced all in three separate times at the final table holding the hand and won each showdown, allowing him to survive dangerous stack deficits and eventually surge to a commanding chip lead over the remaining players.
The 400-entry field was trimmed to 49 players returning for the final day. Notable eliminations included Day 1a chip leader Mostafa Ashkarkhizani, RGPS figurehead Papa Karn, defending champion Cody Hughey, and start-of-day chip leader Heidi Erickson, who lost a set-over-set pot to Jeff Copeland.
At the official final table, Copeland began with the chip lead before Ferguson and Landon Mabe traded knockouts and momentum swings across several hours of play. Connor Hayward also spent extended time atop the counts before falling in third place to Ferguson.
Heads-up play saw Ferguson take a commanding lead over Little, who briefly rallied by rivering a pair of queens to double up. Ferguson answered by winning a key pot with kings before finishing the match when his ace-queen held against Little’s six-five shove.
An Oklahoma native who began playing poker more than 30 years ago while attending school in Iowa, Ferguson now works as an electrical estimator and treats poker strictly as a hobby, primarily playing tournaments closer to home.
