Naoya Kihara Finishes 7th in WSOP $50K PLO High Roller, Third Final Table This Summer
Japan's Naoya Kihara secured $152,020 (approx. 210 million KRW) by finishing 7th at the 2026 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Event #55 $50,000 High Roller Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) final table. In this event, which saw 110 participants form a prize pool of $5,225,000 (approx. 7.2 billion KRW), Kihara entered the final table with one of the shortest stacks. However, his bid for a third bracelet was cut short when he ran into pocket aces held by Robert Cowen of the UK. The victory went to Brazil's Joao Simao, who claimed his fourth bracelet and $1,368,700 (approx. 1.9 billion KRW).
Third Final Table This Summer, Three Final Tables with Two Bracelets
This 7th-place finish marks Kihara's third final table appearance this summer. At the end of May, he secured his second bracelet with a miraculous comeback in Event #17 $10,000 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball. Just three days later, he won Event #23 $10,000 Seven Card Stud Championship, becoming the sixth back-to-back champion in WSOP history. He also finished runner-up in the $10K Razz Championship, and with the addition of this $50K PLO High Roller, he has reached four final tables. Having recorded eight cashes at the WSOP this summer, he is not just a two-time champion but also one of the most consistently cashing players.
Third Title Blocked by Cowen's Aces
Among the final eight players, Kihara started with 2,035,000 chips (5th place). The day before the final table, Cowen had taken a massive pot from Kihara with pocket aces, instantly becoming the overall chip leader. That hand was the decisive moment that significantly reduced Kihara's stack. At the final table, while Cowen, Simao, and Carlo van Ravenswoud (Netherlands) formed the top ranks, Kihara survived with a short stack before being eliminated in 7th place. In the same final table, India's Santhosh Suvarna finished as runner-up ($912,420), demonstrating a dual effort by reaching the final table in the $50K PLO after winning the $50K NLH earlier this summer. It was a stage where two Asian players heated up the final table together.
Behind Foxen, But POY Race Remains Strong
With this 7th-place finish, Kihara added WSOP POY race points, maintaining his 4th position with 2,007 points as of June 22nd. Although he led the race early in the series, Alex Foxen surged to the lead with 2,720 points after winning his fourth bracelet and consistently making deep runs. The gap with Foxen is over 700 points, but with more than half of the series remaining until July 15th, and POY points now extending to WSOP Paradise (Bahamas) from this year, a comeback is not impossible. Winning one more bracelet could instantly change the landscape.
June 25th Ladies Championship, Another Hope from Japan
Japan's poker hopes are not solely on Kihara. In Event #68 $1,000 Ladies Championship, which kicks off on June 25th, Shiina Okamoto will attempt an unprecedented third consecutive victory. Having been the runner-up in 2023 and the champion in 2024 and 2025, she already holds the record for the most titles in this event. If she takes home a third bracelet, Japan will make history once again at the WSOP in the same summer.
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