Sami Valimaki Makes History After Claiming Maiden PGA Tour Title At The RSM Classic

EARLY UPDATES

Good evening everyone, and welcome to Golf Monthly's final round coverage of the RSM Classic, where Sami Valimaki leads by one after an early birdie. He is ahead of Ricky Castillo and Max McGreevy at 19-under.

In terms of the PGA Tour card battle, Takumi Kanaya has fallen outside the top 100 of the FedEx Cup Fall Standings, with the Japanese player sat 101st.

Among the big names outside the top 100 are Matt Wallace and Beau Hossler, who will need strong finishes to move back inside the magic number.

AN EARLY ACE

NOT JUST PGA TOUR STATUS UP FOR GRABS

Along with the top 100, it's worth noting that the players who finish in the 51-60 positions on the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Fall earn themselves starts at the first two Signature Events of 2026.

Securing a place at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Genesis Invitational, the two $20 million events can play a huge part in the start of your season.

As of writing, Patrick Rodgers, Nico Echavarria, Michael Thorbjornsen and Valimaki have moved into the 51-60 spots, as Min Woo Lee, Jordan Spieth, Jake Knapp and Kevin Yu have fallen outside of them.

PAR SAVE AT 13

Castillo bogeys the 12th but, at the 13th, he makes a delightful up-and-down to remain at 19-under and one back of Valimaki.

Along with Castillo, McGreevy gets up-and-down from the greenside bunker at the ninth to also remain 19-under, with Valimaki leaving himself a mid-range birdie putt at the par 4 eighth.

BIRDIE FOR VALIMAKI

He hasn't had his best stuff but, at the eighth, Valimaki rolls in a 20-footer from off the green for a birdie to jump to 21-under-par.

He leads by two and, after his playing partner Thorbjornsen misses a great birdie chance, he keeps his advantage intact going to the ninth.

HUGE DRIVE FROM THORBJORNSEN

He's regarded as one of the longer hitters on the PGA Tour, but that is a bomb from Thorbjornsen, who pummels it 349 yards off the tee at the ninth. To put it into context, he's 70 yards ahead of Valimaki!

CASTILLO MOVES TO 99TH

Castillo is the lowest scorer on the course right now and, as of writing, he's projected to move to 99th in the FedEx Cup Fall Standings, which would give him full PGA Tour status for 2026.

Behind him, leader Valimaki plays a nice 7-iron to 15-feet at the par 4 ninth, leaving him a good chance at birdie. Thorbjornsen follows him with a decent wedge that finishes marginally closer.

VALIMAKI LEADS GOING INTO BACK NINE

Following a strong second shot, Valimaki's birdie putt comes up short, with the Finn tapping-in for par.

He is 21-under and will lead by two from Castillo, McGreevy and Thorbjornsen, with the trio 19-under. We head to the back nine, with Valimaki looking solid, if not spectacular, as of now.

BIG PUTT FROM NICO

Echavarria has moved inside the 51-60 spots on the FedEx Cup Fall Standings and, at the 12th, he rolls in a 40-footer for birdie to move to 18-under.

He's now projected to finish 57th in the overall Standings and is now just three back of Valimaki, with the Colombian currently sharing fifth at the RSM Classic.

SUPERB FROM SAMI

What a shot from the leader at the 10th! Faced with 155 yards to the flag, Valimaki sticks a gorgeous iron to mere feet, with the Finn looking at another great chance at birdie.

A 63 FOR STEVENS

He made a hole-in-one earlier, and Sam Stevens birdies the last for a seven-under-par final round of 63 to currently sit in a share of sixth.

Excellent round from the American, who finished his season inside the top 50 of the FedEx Cup, which secured his spot in all of the Signature Events for 2026.

BIRDIES GALORE

Echavarria is starting to hot up here in Georgia and, at the 13th, he birdies the par 4 to move to 19-under, making it a four-way tie for second.

Behind Echavarria, Valimaki rolls in his birdie to move to 22-under, three ahead of the foursome at 19-under. Excellent golf from the 27-year-old, who looks in control.

CASTILLO TO 20-UNDER

He'll want to set a clubhouse target and, at the 15th, Castillo two putts for birdie at the par 5 to move to 20-under-par, two back of Valimaki.

I said Echavarria was on a charge and, at the 14th, he puts it to four-feet. It's the hardest hole on the course, but the 31-year-old made that look easy. He'll have that to move to 20-under.

CASTILLO NOW ONE BACK

He needs to set a target and, following a birdie at the 15th, Castillo birdies the 16th to move to 21-under, just one back of Valimaki.

The American is making a charge right now and, with a par 3 and par 4 remaining, can Castillo put the pressure on the leader?

Speaking of pressure, Echavarria has converted his birdie attempt at the 14th to move to 20-under. He's about to head into the stretch that Castillo has just played, with birdie opportunities coming up for the Colombian.

PAR AT THE 11TH

Valimaki plays a nice tee shot and approach into the par 4 11th but, with his birdie putt missing, he remains 22-under.

His lead has gone from three to one in a matter of minutes but, with Castillo up ahead, Valimaki still has seven holes remaining for his day.

GREEN FOUND AT THE 12TH

The 225-yard par 3 12th has been playing tough today but, with his tee shot, Valimaki is safely on the green, albeit away from the flag.

GOOD TRY

The Finn rolls his 40-foot putt at a great speed, but it's just a little off to the right and he'll have less than three feet for par. Tidied up no problem.

Elsewhere, Castillo heads to the 18th tee knowing he only has one more chance to make his presence felt on the leaderboard. He made par at the 17th. And that's a massive drive - some 342 yards from the challenger.

STEADY FROM SAMI

This is only Sami Valimaki's second season on the PGA Tour since earning his card via the Race to Dubai rankings. He finished 123rd in the FedEx Cup rankings last year to keep his card. He's currently 51st this year.

As if to prove he is well up to the task of thriving on the circuit, he sends his approach at the 13th to nine feet.

He needs to keep this kind of form up, too - Ricky Castillo, who has just finished his round at 21-under, is breathing down his neck just one shot behind.

TOP WORK, RICKY!

For Castillo, that's a great day's work. His eight-under 62 means he's currently solo second and, as importantly, 95th in the projected FedEx Cup rankings, needing to finish inside the top 100 to ensure he has a PGA Tour card next season. He was 135th at the start of the week.

Even more impressive, that's the lowest round of his PGA Tour career!

SO GOOD FROM SAMI

He's been so good from tee-to-green and, after finding the fairway at the 14th, Valimaki plays a great approach that finds the correct tier of the green. He leaves 15-foot for birdie.

CASTILLO STAYING INSIDE THE TOP 100?

STRESS-FREE PAR FOR VALIMAKI

The 14th has been the toughest hole today and, faced with a 15-footer for birdie, Valimaki's putt slides by the right-side, but it's a stress-free par for the Finn, who remains one clear of Castillo, who shot an eight-under 62, and McGreevy, who is on the 17th.

FAIRWAY FOUND FOR THE FINN

The par 5 15th has thrown up plenty of birdies today and, on the tee, Valimaki finds the fairway with his drive. He will have around 235-yards left into the green, with a birdie on his mind.

18TH ACTION

Doug Ghim leaves his birdie putt in the jaws of the hole at the 18th, with the American moving from 125th to 110th in the FedEx Cup Fall Standings. It's not enough to move into the top 100, but he'll have conditional PGA Tour status for 2026.

In his group, Echavarria finishes bogey-par-par to end his tournament 19-under. He's T4th right now, but is predicted to move to 55th in the FedEx Cup Fall, which would hand him two Signature Event starts in 2026.

ANOTHER SOLID SHOT

Rodgers finds the water with his second shot at the par 5 15th, leaving him a penalty drop.

Thorbjornsen, meanwhile, blazes his second right into the rough, while Valimaki makes yet another solid swing and finds the green with a fairway wood. He'll have around 35-feet for an eagle.

MCGREEVY MAKES A HUGE PUTT

WOW! Not only does that birdie at the 18th from McGreevy means he ties the lead with Valimaki, but it means that Castillo goes from 99th in the FedEx Cup Fall Standings to 102nd!

To make it even more dramatic, Hodges misses his birdie attempt at the 72nd hole from 10-foot and is predicted to be 101st in the Standings!

BIRDIE FOR VALIMAKI

His lead was lost for around 90 seconds, with Valimaki calmy two-putting for birdie at the 15th to jump to 23-under. He leads McGreevy by one with three remaining.

MASSIVE MOMENTS FOR HODGES AND CASTILLO

MISTAKE FROM VALIMAKI

That's his first poor swing of the back nine and, to the back-right flag, Valimaki misses right and short sides himself.

This upcoming chip will test his nerves, with the 27-year-old remaining one clear of McGreevy who is in the clubhouse.

HUGE SAVE FROM VALIMAKI

What a par from Valimaki! Unable to put his chip close on the 16th, the Finn leaves himself 15-feet to remain ahead.

A minute earlier, he watches Rodgers miss a similar putt by three-feet but, stepping up, Valimaki rolls his effort into the center of the hole with pace for a mammoth par save. He remains one clear!

HUGE PUTT FROM McGREEVY

SO GOOD FROM VALIMAKI

That's, arguably, the best shot of the week from Valimaki, who fires an iron over the flag at the par 3 17th, with his 195-yard tee shot finishing 16-feet from the flag.

11-WAY TIE FOR SEVENTH

Yes, you read that correctly, we have an 11-way tie for seventh at 18-under, with Rodgers rolling in a lengthy birdie putt at the 17th.

PAR FOR SAMI

Faced with 15-feet for birdie, Valimaki races his birdie attempt by three feet but, coming back, he manages to find the bottom of the cup to lead by one going down the 72nd hole.

FAIRWAY FOUND AT THE 18TH

That's the first step completed, as Valimaki finds the fairway at the 18th. He will have 175-yards left in for his approach.

GREEN FOUND

Another solid shot from Valimaki, who starts his approach on the flag and it drifts into the heart of the green. He leaves himself a two-putt from 30-feet for a maiden PGA Tour title.

EXCELLENT FROM SAMI

He's been rock solid all day and, on the 18th green, Valimaki puts his putt to six inches. He'll mark it, but that is exceptional from the Finn.

PARS FOR THORBJORNSEN AND RODGERS

They've been in the shadow of Valimaki all day and, at the last, Thorbjornsen makes par to finish 18-under, while Rodgers also makes par to match him. They finish in an 11-way tie for seventh!

SAMI VALIMAKI WINS THE RSM CLASSIC

YOUR FIRST FINNISH WINNER ON THE PGA TOUR

Valimaki taps in for a closing par and a four-under 66. He wins by a single stroke and becomes the first player from Finland to win on the PGA Tour.

SEALED WITH A KISS

THE HISTORY MAKER

Congratulations to Sami Valimaki, who claims his first PGA Tour title at the RSM Classic.