Valimaki Makes History: First PGA Title for Finland at RSM Classic

In an exciting season finale at the RSM Classic, Sami Valimaki made history by becoming the first Finnish golfer to win a PGA Tour tournament. The competition, held in Sea Island, kept fans on the edge of their seats with unexpected twists until the last moment.

Valimaki Secures Victory with a Solid Performance

Valimaki, who had previously achieved two runner-up finishes in the last two seasons, demonstrated his composure by closing the tournament with a round of 4 under par, signing a card of 66 strokes. His putting game, especially from off the green on the 16th hole, was crucial, including an 18-foot putt that led him to victory. Despite the changes in wind direction, Valimaki remained calm in the final holes.

Drama in the PGA Tour Card Fight

The tournament was the scene of an intense battle to secure a place among the top 100 players in the FedEx Cup standings, which guarantees a full PGA Tour card for the 2026 season, where the fields will be smaller. Ricky Castillo, with an impressive first round of 28 strokes and a total of 62, seemed to be securing his place within the top 100, starting from 135th place. However, Max McGreevy, with a 30-foot birdie on the last hole and a card of 63, relegated him to 102nd place by a minimal point difference. Lee Hodges, for his part, had a golden opportunity to enter the top 100, but a 10-foot birdie attempt that didn’t go in, left him in 101st place in the FedEx Cup, only two points apart. It was a long road, of course. I feel like it was a really tough year, even when I played decent golf, and then to keep pushing and find some good moments in the last tournaments, it’s incredible. Valimaki, thanks to his victory, secured a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour and his participation in the first two $20 million events of the 2026 season, finishing in 51st place in the FedEx Cup.

McGreevy, who already had his card secured, moved up to 60th place, qualifying for the important events of next year. This result displaced Jordan Spieth, who did not participate in this tournament, from the 60th position. Spieth will now need invitations to participate in Pebble Beach and Riviera.

I’ve never felt so nervous. I felt like I was playing to win. Fortunately, my best golf came out at the end of the year.

Max McGreevy

Nico Echavarria, with a round of 65 strokes, tied for fourth place and secured a spot in the prominent West Coast events, ranking between 51st and 60th. Sam Stevens achieved a hole-in-one on the third hole and finished with 63 strokes, tying for seventh place. Stevens had already secured his participation in the major events. His goal, being in 48th place in the world ranking, was to stay in the top 50 to secure a place in the Masters. The excitement continues, as Johnny Keefer, the Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year, entered the week in 50th place. Both players, Stevens and Keefer, are in the group tied for seventh place and are expected to move up in the rankings, with tournaments still to be played in Australia and South Africa.