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Jul. 3—Golfers and spectators at the Moscow Elks Lodge Golf Club will celebrate Independence Day together with the 77th annual Ken Jordan Sole Survivor tournament.
The tournament, which is a "horse race style golf tournament," according to Sole Survivor Committee Chairperson Tracy Dorigo, is an elimination format. It narrows down its 10-man field one hole at a time, where the worst score is eliminated after each hole until the winner stands alone after the ninth hole. Spectating the event will be open to the public, and tee time will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
The women's and senior competitions will begin at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively, on Sunday.
Other attractions include free hot dogs, cake, lawn games and the "annual decorated cart parade."
Opening ceremonies, which will include an opening statement from former Moscow mayor Bill Lambert and the national anthem sung by an Elks' member, will begin at 1:30 p.m.
"It has been around for 77 years," Dorigo said. "It is known as an event over the Fourth of July at the Elks, where we welcome the community out and welcome the golf community out, and as a golfer myself, playing that style of tournament, it's hole by hole. It's consistency; you have to have good holes for nine holes. So it's a personal challenge for all these golfers. And then just the name of being the Sole Survivor — who doesn't want to be a sole survivor, right?"
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A large turnout
Dorigo said that planning the event starts in early May.
The golf committee at the Moscow Elks Lodge Golf Club realizes that two of their signature events are the Sole Survivor and the qualifiers for the Sole Survivor.
She said planning starts with introspective questions.
"'How did it go last year? What can we add? How can we make this bigger and better?' And that's our goal as a golf committee: let's make everything run as seamlessly as possible, and improve on it every year, make it more competitive, make it more of a draw, make more activities for people to participate in if they're not golfing," Dorigo said.
Dorigo said that there has been an increase in non-Elks golfers; pools of golfers from around the Palouse and the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley have added to the event.
"We welcome the entire community, and we had a lot of people come out for qualifiers this year," Dorigo said.
She said that there were more than 60 golfers on the course during qualifiers, which was narrowed down to the final field of 10.
A mix of players
The Ken Jordan Sole Survivor consists of a mix of returners and players new to the field.
Kyle Nelson, the winner of the last two Sole Survivor tournaments, is back to defend his victories.
Other past winners include Sean Dorigo (2012, 2016, 2022), Jerry Curtis (2001, 2004, 2013, 2017) and Kevin Peterson (2016, 2021).
Taylor Riedner is a returning player who has won the Junior Sole Survivor and the Women's Sole Survivor.
Riley Nelson is the son of Kyle Nelson and competed in the event last year, and Ben Mack is a returning player who has won the Junior Sole Survivor.
New to the field include: Michael Wagner, the head golf professional at the University of Idaho Golf Course; Andrew Grizzell, the son-in-law of Ken Jordan Sr.'s daughter, Sharon Kimberling; and Jared Kuhn.
What the event means to the community
Dorigo said that the history of the event is based around the "Elks family" and that continuing the event for 77 years has been terrific for the community.
"Not only coming together around golf, but just coming together as a group of people who appreciate each other, and really just hang out for a day like a large family," Dorigo said. "That's a big part of it too, is it's one of the few events where we all see each other, and that's within the Elks family."
She said that the event has helped create a community for the Moscow Elks Lodge Golf Club, which has been capable of donating "tens of thousands of dollars" to the local community to help those in need, and the tournament is a great way to invite people to "come out and enjoy lunch, live music and have fun with us for the day."
"I think it matters because anytime you can get a group of people together regardless of where they come from or what they do or who they are, just to celebrate the fantastic country that we have and be together as people having fun — that's a benefit to any community," Dorigo said.
Sole Survivor contestants (past wins in parentheses)
1. Kyle Nelson (2024, 2025); 2. Sean Dorigo (2012, 2016, 2022); 3. Jerry Curtis (2001, 2004, 2013, 2017); 4. Kevin Peterson (2016, 2021); 5. Michael Wagner; 6. Andrew Grizzell; 7. Riley Nelson; 8. Ben Mack; 9. Taylor Riedner; 10. Jared Kuhn.
Junt can be reached at 208-848-2258, [email protected] or on X @TrevorJunt.
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The tournament, which is a "horse race style golf tournament," according to Sole Survivor Committee Chairperson Tracy Dorigo, is an elimination format. It narrows down its 10-man field one hole at a time, where the worst score is eliminated after each hole until the winner stands alone after the ninth hole. Spectating the event will be open to the public, and tee time will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
The women's and senior competitions will begin at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively, on Sunday.
Other attractions include free hot dogs, cake, lawn games and the "annual decorated cart parade."
Opening ceremonies, which will include an opening statement from former Moscow mayor Bill Lambert and the national anthem sung by an Elks' member, will begin at 1:30 p.m.
"It has been around for 77 years," Dorigo said. "It is known as an event over the Fourth of July at the Elks, where we welcome the community out and welcome the golf community out, and as a golfer myself, playing that style of tournament, it's hole by hole. It's consistency; you have to have good holes for nine holes. So it's a personal challenge for all these golfers. And then just the name of being the Sole Survivor — who doesn't want to be a sole survivor, right?"
Advertisement
A large turnout
Dorigo said that planning the event starts in early May.
The golf committee at the Moscow Elks Lodge Golf Club realizes that two of their signature events are the Sole Survivor and the qualifiers for the Sole Survivor.
She said planning starts with introspective questions.
"'How did it go last year? What can we add? How can we make this bigger and better?' And that's our goal as a golf committee: let's make everything run as seamlessly as possible, and improve on it every year, make it more competitive, make it more of a draw, make more activities for people to participate in if they're not golfing," Dorigo said.
Dorigo said that there has been an increase in non-Elks golfers; pools of golfers from around the Palouse and the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley have added to the event.
"We welcome the entire community, and we had a lot of people come out for qualifiers this year," Dorigo said.
She said that there were more than 60 golfers on the course during qualifiers, which was narrowed down to the final field of 10.
A mix of players
The Ken Jordan Sole Survivor consists of a mix of returners and players new to the field.
Kyle Nelson, the winner of the last two Sole Survivor tournaments, is back to defend his victories.
Other past winners include Sean Dorigo (2012, 2016, 2022), Jerry Curtis (2001, 2004, 2013, 2017) and Kevin Peterson (2016, 2021).
Taylor Riedner is a returning player who has won the Junior Sole Survivor and the Women's Sole Survivor.
Riley Nelson is the son of Kyle Nelson and competed in the event last year, and Ben Mack is a returning player who has won the Junior Sole Survivor.
New to the field include: Michael Wagner, the head golf professional at the University of Idaho Golf Course; Andrew Grizzell, the son-in-law of Ken Jordan Sr.'s daughter, Sharon Kimberling; and Jared Kuhn.
What the event means to the community
Dorigo said that the history of the event is based around the "Elks family" and that continuing the event for 77 years has been terrific for the community.
"Not only coming together around golf, but just coming together as a group of people who appreciate each other, and really just hang out for a day like a large family," Dorigo said. "That's a big part of it too, is it's one of the few events where we all see each other, and that's within the Elks family."
She said that the event has helped create a community for the Moscow Elks Lodge Golf Club, which has been capable of donating "tens of thousands of dollars" to the local community to help those in need, and the tournament is a great way to invite people to "come out and enjoy lunch, live music and have fun with us for the day."
"I think it matters because anytime you can get a group of people together regardless of where they come from or what they do or who they are, just to celebrate the fantastic country that we have and be together as people having fun — that's a benefit to any community," Dorigo said.
Sole Survivor contestants (past wins in parentheses)
1. Kyle Nelson (2024, 2025); 2. Sean Dorigo (2012, 2016, 2022); 3. Jerry Curtis (2001, 2004, 2013, 2017); 4. Kevin Peterson (2016, 2021); 5. Michael Wagner; 6. Andrew Grizzell; 7. Riley Nelson; 8. Ben Mack; 9. Taylor Riedner; 10. Jared Kuhn.
Junt can be reached at 208-848-2258, [email protected] or on X @TrevorJunt.
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