Nelson celebrates the Fourth with Sole Survivor win

While the rest of the country was worried about hot dogs and fireworks, 10 golfers focused on chips and putts in the 75th Moscow Elks Sole Survivor on Thursday.

The nine-hole elimination style golf tournament — also known as the Ken Jordan Sole Survivor — was full of drama and excitement and when the dust settled more than four hours after it started, Kyle Nelson was crowned the new champion at the Moscow Elks Lodge Golf Club.

Nelson had to survive a five-way chip-off on No. 2 and had the best score on a hole just twice, but that is all it took to survive nine other golfers.

On the final hole, it looked like Nelson was destined for a closest-to-the-pin chip-off with two-time champion Kevin Peterson after Nelson missed his par putt to the right. Peterson stepped up from a few feet away with the chance to force the chip-off, but his putt spun around the hole.

Nelson made his next shot to seal the win.

“I was really nervous on No. 1, everybody is trying to get past No. 1,” Nelson said. “(Winning) it has been a goal of mine for the past ten years.”

Nelson said he does not get to participate in the tournament every year because of his career as a hayer, but is always excited when he gets the opportunity. It is the first time Nelson has won the main Sole Survivor event, although he won the Senior Sole Survivor once before.

Peterson had entertained the audience who surrounded the golfers in dozens of golf carts all afternoon with some amazing golf.

On No. 3, in no danger of being eliminated, Peterson watched as his birdie putt stopped right on the lip of the hole. As he joked with the other competitors about the situation, the ball fell into the cup. The two-time champion would outdo himself on No. 7 with a chip-in eagle to advance to the next hole.

“(This tournament) is fun because, I am not saying this about Kyle, but not necessarily the best player wins. You just have to beat one person (each hole),” Peterson said. “That was kind of my day. I had a birdie and an eagle, but I had some other holes I did not play that well.”

Peterson was the only golfer who was able to shoot a hole under par in the nine-hole event and he did so twice.

In the first eight holes of the event, six eliminations were decided by a 50-yard chip-off. In all six situations, Dennis Wilson was involved.

During a chip-off, golfers would wait their turn by turning their backs to the hole. This made sure no golfer had the advantage of going last and seeing where they would need to hit the ball to advance.

Wilson, who teed off 10th to start the day, was the last person to chip in all six chip-offs and in the first five he successfully advanced.

It was on No. 8 where his luck ran out. Nelson went first and the eventual champion hit it short of the hole. Dennis’ attempt went long and after a measurement he was eliminated in third place.

The seventh hole — a 454-yard par 5 — brought a lot of drama as three of the four remaining competitors hit it short of the green and into the hazard. While Peterson was making eagle, Wilson, Nelson and three-time champ Sean Dorigo battled it out to see who could scramble the best.

Nelson came up clutch with a downhill putt from around 20 feet away to avoid the chip-off. Wilson and Dorigo were not as fortunate. The 2022 champion’s chip finished 6 inches further away than Wilson’s attempt and he ended the tournament in fourth place.

Defending champion Jeffrey Spellman got into trouble on the 380-yard par-4 fourth hole. With everyone else already on the board, Spellman knew he had to sink a long putt just to force a chip-off. His attempt went array and the 2023 champion chased after it. While waving goodbye to the crowd, Spellman putted between his legs, without breaking stride, and made the inconsequential putt.

“A lot less pressure this year. Just wanted to come out and enjoy it,” Spellman said. “It is great to see a lot of great players out in the lineup this year.”

The 75th edition of the Sole Survivor was a true family affair. Winner Nelson had his son Carter as his caddie.

“Carter cheered me on the whole time,” Nelson said. “He was coaching me on what clubs to use sometimes, he was reading putts for me — I wouldn’t have even been able to get close if it wasn’t for him.”

Twenty-year-old Ben Mack had his father alongside him as his caddie and the two dressed in matching bright colored outfits.

Peterson also found great joy in playing along his son Kyle Peterson, who finished in eighth place.

“Hard to watch him go out, your own kid,” Kevin Peterson said.

The overall size of the crowd that enjoyed the long-standing golf event might have been smaller than in previous years, but the feeling of family was as big as ever.

Order of finish

Kyle Nelson

Kevin Peterson

Dennis Wilson

Sean Dorigo

Todd Martin

Ben Mack

Jeff Spellman

Kyle Peterson

Bill Myers

Kyle Hamilton

Isbelle can be reached at 208-848-2268, risbelle@lmtribune.com or on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyIsbelle