Navy veteran steals the show on final day of WSOP Salute to Warriors

Posted on: June 23, 2026 20:21 PDT

Entering the day, most eyes on the WSOP $500 Salute to Warriors were on 2006 Main Event champion Jamie Gold and coach and vlogger Lexy Gavin-Mather, the two highest profile names remaining in the tournament.

But among the 35 players who came back for Day 3, it wasn’t either of them, or even eventual champion Prashanth Nataraj, who provided the feel-good story of the day.

That distinction went to fifth-place finisher and Navy veteran Holly Foley.

Holly Foley made it all the way to a fifth-place finish in her WSOP debut.

Navy veteran, WSOP rookie

Foley served four years of active duty in San Diego in aviation before going into the reserves in 1990. She was then called back to active duty for Desert Storm and served six more years.

She is now three years into a well-deserved retirement and playing a little more poker, including this successful first shot at the WSOP, outlasting Gold (17th – $9,940) and Gavin-Mather (7th – $33,120) to take home $57,020. That's far more than her previous recorded tournament earnings, which totaled just $3,515, as she says she plays almost exclusively with friends in home games.

“It was my first time at the WSOP, and I decided to play because of being in the military, being a vet. It was a great experience. I never expected to go this far; it was amazing. I wanted to see what it was like to play in a tournament, and I picked this one because it had more meaning to it and to me.”

We enjoyed watching Foley play as much as she enjoyed playing.

While Foley may appear unassuming at the table with a friendly demeanor, a cardigan sweater, and thin wired glasses, we noticed the vibe of a ruthless crusher when it was time for business. Whenever she was all-in, Foley wore a stoic expression and an almost daring smirk that contrasted sharply with her otherwise friendly table image.

We meant it as a compliment when we told her how much we loved it, but now we may have her worried that she’s giving off a tell.

“I didn’t know that," she told us. "I had no idea. I’d better start watching my facial expression then.”

Please don't. It's fantastic.

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Homeward bound

Foley said that she had also planned to play the Super Seniors or Ladies Championship events, but with her deep run in the Salute to Warriors, her time at the 2026 WSOP is done, and she’ll be returning home to Broomfield, Colorado.

After her experience and success in the Salute to Warriors, it won't be the last we see of her in Las Vegas.

“Yes, you’ll probably see me around more. I am enjoying poker, and since I won a little bit, maybe I’ll be playing a little more WSOP.”