Native Hawaiian Lisa Hamilton has won the women-only tournament at the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas.

The tourney, officially WSOP Event #17, was a no-limit Texas hold ‘em tournament with a $1,000 buy-in and a prize pool of just under $1 million.

There were 1,060 entrants and the top 117 finishers earned cash prizes.

The tourney, also known as the WSOP Women’s Championship, is the only event of the 57 tournaments at this year’s WSOP that is restricted to female players.

None of the 57 tourneys are restricted to male players.

Two other ‘09 WSOP events are restricted–one, already played, is restricted to casino employees, while the other, still to be played, is restricted to seniors (those age 50 or over).

For the victory, Hamilton, who was born in the American state of Hawaii and now lives in Vegas in Nevada, earns $195,390. Coming in second was Lori Bender of Houston, Texas, USA, earning $120,575.

Taking third was Mari Lou Morelli of Long Beach, California, USA, earning $78,132.

Despite its moniker as a “championship,” the WSOP’s annual females-only tourney in reality is anything but.

Annie Duke, among other top female poker pros, refuses to play in women-only tournaments, so such events are really not indicative of who the top female players are since many of those top players don’t participate.

Duke says men and women should be able to compete on an equal basis at the poker table–as she does–and therefore women-only tournaments are bogus.

(E-mail Tom Somach at tomsomach@yahoo.com.)