In an emotional day at Sea Island, Sami Valimaki made history by becoming the first Finnish golfer to win a PGA Tour tournament. The event, the RSM Classic, which marked the end of the season, saw the hopes of several players fluctuate drastically in the last hour.
Valimaki, who had previously achieved two runner-up finishes in the last two seasons, demonstrated his skill with the putter, achieving a crucial shot from outside the green on the 16th hole, followed by an putt of 18 feet. His game remained steady in the final holes, despite the sudden changes in wind direction.
Drama in the Classification
The competition to secure a spot among the top 100 in the FedEx Cup standings, which grants full PGA Tour cards for the 2026 season, was intense. Ricky Castillo, with an impressive opening round of 28 strokes on the first nine holes and a total of 62, seemed to be on his way to moving up from 135th place. However, Max McGreevy, with a birdie of 30 feet on the last hole, secured second place, relegating Castillo to 102nd place by a minimal margin of points. The tension continued as Lee Hodges, with a 10-foot birdie attempt, failed to enter the top 100 by just two points.Upon completion of the RSM Classic, players ranked between 95th and 100th did not experience any changes in their positions.
Valimaki, who already had two victories on the European tour and a recent runner-up finish in Mexico, secured his place on the PGA Tour for two years and his participation in the first two events of 2026, by finishing in 51st place in the FedEx Cup.“It’s been a long road, of course,” Valimaki commented. “I feel like it’s been a tough year, even when I played well, and then to keep pushing and find a good rhythm in the last tournaments, it’s incredible.”
Sami ValimakiMcGreevy, with his card already secured, rose to 60th place, also qualifying for the featured events of next year. This result displaced Jordan Spieth from the 60th position, who will now have to seek exemptions to participate in Pebble Beach and Riviera. Nico Echavarria, with a round of 65, tied for fourth place and secured a spot in the featured events on the west coast. Sam Stevens achieved a hole-in-one on the third hole and finished with 63 strokes, tying for seventh place. Already qualified for the featured events, Stevens, ranked 48th in the world, was looking to stay in the top 50 to secure his place in the Masters. The situation is uncertain for Johnny Keefer, the Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year, who arrived at the week in 50th place.
