Kentucky farmers, playing the underdog, fought their way to the RGPS Main Event championship.

Kentucky farmer Jack Hays won the RGPS Golden Expedition South Indiana $800 Main Event, taking home $57,054 and his second RunGood ring. He achieved this incredible victory by defeating Craig Welko heads-up.

If you had to describe Jack Hays's reaction after winning the RunGood Poker Series Golden Expedition South Indiana $800 Main Event in one word, it would be: disbelief.

"I've been playing poker for 21 years. I've given this my all. This can't be real. This can't have just happened," Hays said as he prepared to take the long-awaited championship photo.

The Kentucky farmer admitted he was no match for Craig Welko in heads-up play, but the game was different – Hays was on the lucky side in several all-in duels, defeating the RunGood ambassador to win the championship ring and the top prize of $57,054, standing out from a field of 393 players.

RGPS Golden Expedition South Indiana Main Event Final Table Results

"This means everything. I won a game in January. I've been playing for 20 years. That was my first win. This is my second. This is my first win outside of The Barrel in Franklin, Kentucky. This is a big win. This is a great day. I never thought I'd be standing here," he said.

"I was very lucky. I met a lot of nice people, played cards with a lot of friends, had a lot of fun, and I was really fortunate to stand out."

According to The Hendon Mob, Hays had over 63,000 $ in live tournament winnings before the tournament, a significant portion of which came from a 500 $ win at The Barrel at the start of the new year, earning 26,000 $. Meanwhile, Welko already possesses three RunGood rings and finished as runner-up in the same event a year ago, behind only Nick Rigby. On paper, this is a one-sided contest, a fact Hays himself is well aware of.

Hays started heads-up with a huge chip lead, but after Welko won a coin flip to double up, the RunGood ambassador began to dominate the game and take the lead. It was then that Hays decided to change tactics.

"At the six-handed table, I hit almost every hand, and I kept hitting even in heads-up. We went for a break, and when we came back, I just couldn't make a pair. My opponent, man, he never made a mistake. He folded every time he was supposed to. He played flawlessly," he said.

"The only way I had a chance to win was to increase volatility. So I started going all in, and then my luck came. I gave myself a chance, and that's what happens when you're lucky."

Hays admitted that luck played a significant role in his path to the championship. "Nobody in the world could have won this tournament with the hands I had this weekend. Because nobody would be stupid enough to push all their money in so many times with such bad hands. It's unreal. I folded a lot of good hands that I wouldn't have won anyway. I played a lot of bad hands and won them all. This was my luckiest ever," he said.

Lerner and defending champion Mays were among the first to be eliminated on Day Two.

The final 46 players returned to the Caesars Southern Indiana poker room at 1 p.m. to compete for the championship. Five RunGood ambassadors were still in contention, with Delilah Lerner being the first to be eliminated, facing Welko with a short stack. She made a straight, but Welko made a King Full House, sending Lerner out in 28th place.

Taylor Howard (25th place) and Matthew Lawrence (16th place) followed closely behind to claim their prizes, while Day 1 Group B chip leader Libby Wilson (21st place) was also eliminated. Defending champion Jasper May went all-in with AQ against Tim Burden's AJ, but Burden hit a J to win the pot, ending May's hopes of defending his title in 13th place.

Hays defeated K twice to take the chip lead.

When the nine-player final table was set, Mike Scarborough, who started the day as chip leader, still led with 2,300,000 chips, while Hays was second with 1,600,000. Carl Masters won a coin flip, doubling up against Don Coakley, who ran into Patty Till's Ace a few hands later and was eliminated in ninth place.

Hays then 3-bet to 250,000 from the button, and Masters went all-in for 800,000 from the small blind. Action returned to Hays, who instantly called with two Aces. Masters was down with two Kings, and Hays moved up to top triplets to win the pot, eliminating the RunGood ambassador in eighth place.

Till was eliminated with Ace against Stephan Mobley, building a huge chip lead, while James Rion lost to Welko in sixth place. Till entered the final five-player break with a 4,500,000 chip lead, climbing to over 5,000,000 before a crucial hand against Hays. Three players went to a Q-high flop, and Till bet 255,000. Hays raised to 620,000, and Till went all-in. Hays instantly called with two pair, and Till showed two Kings. Hays held on to double up to 5,000,000 and take the chip lead.

Both Burden and Scarborough hit two pair on the flop. Burden went all-in with 400,000, but Scarborough hit a full house on the river, eliminating Burden in fifth place. Till then went on to finish in fourth place with A-10 against Welko's AK.

Hays hit a set of 2s in a pot against Welko, extending his lead to over 7,500,000 chips. Scarborough then went all-in for 1,300,000 on the turn with a straight, but Hays held the nut straight, eliminating Scarborough in third place.

Welko presented Hays with the toughest test of his poker career.

Hays started heads-up with 9,700,000 to 2,000,000 chips. Welko doubled up with a coin flip after betting K-8 against Hays' pocket 7s, bringing his chip lead down to 1,215,000. He called Hays with 2 pairs, taking the chip lead and starting to widen the gap. "You're good, man," Hays told him.

Hays then went all-in for 4,925,000 without looking, and Welko called with K-6. Hays only had J-high, but he hit a J on the turn to win the pot and double up. A few hands later, Welko went all-in for 5,000,000, and Hays called with K-7. Welko regained the lead with AJ until the flop gave Hays seven pair, winning the tournament.

For the second year in a row, Welko missed out on the ring, while Hays, playing the underdog, pulled off an incredible victory. He will seek to defend his title next week at RGPS at The Barrel, but for him, family will always be more important than poker.

"This will help improve my situation at home, but as for poker, I'll still play when I can. I have a two-year-old and a four-year-old. They're my top priority. So I'll spend some time with them. I'm going to The Barrel next week, and then I'll rest until January," he said.

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