Sami Välimäki knew heartbreak. Close calls. Final-day fades. But not anymore. At long last, the 27-year-old from Finland can proudly call himself a PGA Tour winner, and in doing so, he’s etched his name into history as the first Finnish player ever to win on golf’s most prestigious stage. It all came to a thrilling conclusion at the RSM Classic on the windswept fairways of St. Simons Island, Georgia.
A Nerve-Racking Sunday Filled with Momentum Swings
Välimäki entered Sunday with a two-shot cushion thanks to three clinical rounds of 66, 62, and 65. But that lead evaporated quickly after a jittery start, a birdie at the 1st, followed by a bogey at the 2nd, cracked the door open for a chasing pack hungry for their own shot at glory. And from that point forward, the pressure refused to let up.
Still, Välimäki kept his composure, reasserting control with birdies at the 8th and 10th, maintaining a tenuous two-stroke advantage. But beneath him, the leaderboard was in chaos. Rookie Ricky Castillo caught fire with a sizzling 62 to post 21-under. Then came Max McGreevy, with ice in his veins, birdieing the 72nd hole to leapfrog Castillo at 22-under, briefly tying Välimäki.
The Putt That Defined a Career
Cue the 15th hole.
The par-5 was make-or-break, and the Finn delivered. A timely birdie edged him ahead once again. But the moment of the tournament, the moment that may just define the early chapter of Välimäki’s career, came at the 16th. A misjudged approach left him short-sided. A mediocre chip only added to the pressure. Then, with nerves of steel, he rammed in a 15-foot par putt, clinging to his lead.
Two tidy closing pars later, and history was sealed. A one-shot victory. A national milestone. A career-defining breakthrough.
And the reward? Beyond the trophy and the applause: a spot at the 2026 PGA Tour Signature Events, courtesy of finishing 51st in the FedEx Cup Fall Standings. The win also all but cements Välimäki as a rising force to be reckoned with.
PGA Tour Elation for Some, Heartbreak for Others
But while he climbed, others fell.
Castillo, for all his brilliance, was dramatically bumped out of the top 100 and full PGA Tour status, just 20 minutes after thinking he had clinched it. McGreevy’s late surge was the dagger. As if scripted by golf’s cruelest dramatist, Lee Hodges, playing in the same group, narrowly missed a birdie putt that could’ve altered Castillo’s fate once more.
By day’s end, Castillo, Hodges, Matt Wallace, and Beau Hossler were all left clutching conditional status for 2026. Their fight continues.
For Välimäki, however, the battle ended with triumph, and the unmistakable ring of destiny was fulfilled.
