Sami Valimaki's Caddie On First Win - "He Fulfilled A Dream For Me"
The Finn's caddie Kyle 'Roachy' Roadley got his first win in Oman after more than 20 years on the European Tour
The Finn's caddie Kyle 'Roachy' Roadley got his first win in Oman after more than 20 years on the European Tour
Sami Valimaki's Caddie On First Win - "He Fulfilled A Dream For Me"
Sami Valimaki looks to be one of the best young talents in Europe, with five professional victories already in the bag at the age of just 22.
The Finn won for the first time on the European Tour at the Oman Open in March, where he birdied the 72nd hole and then beat Brandon Stone in a playoff.
Whilst it was obviously a huge moment for him, it was also a huge moment for his caddie Kyle 'Roachy' Roadley, the veteran Aussie with over 20 years experience out on the European Tour.
Roachy has been on the bag of the likes of fellow Australian and good friend Richard Green, 2002 Ryder Cupper Pierre Fulke, Nicolas Colsaerts, Marcel Siem, Tyrrell Hatton and Robert Rock to name a few.
Related: TaylorMade On Tour - Behind the scenes of the UK Swing
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However, in 20-odd years looping on the European Tour, he had never been on the bag for a W - until Oman.
"After 21 years that’s my first win," Roadley told Golf Monthly.
"It’s not something I’m overly proud of, I’ve been at the job for a long, long time I’ve lost playoffs, I’ve finished second, I’ve bogeyed the last to miss playoffs and all that sort of thing.
"Yeah so to finally get one across the board was really exciting and it’s what I’ve been looking for for the last 20 odd years.
"So yeah, fulfilled a little bit of a dream for me he did so it was a really special time and something I won’t forget in a hurry that’s for sure."
Roachy teamed up with Valimaki late last year after being told by one of the other caddies about just how good Valimaki is and could go on to be.
Related: 10 things you didn't know about Sami Valimaki
"I was sort of available at the time and was told by one of the other caddies that I should get hold of him because the kid’s gonna be a real talent," he described of how he and Valimaki began working together.
"I sort of did a few weeks for him, we finished 7th down in Melbourne [Vic Open] and then Oman - wow. Off we went.
"Yeah he’s an exceptional talent, great ball striker, he flights the ball fantastic, compresses it beautifully, he can hit it right to left, left to right, low, high.
Related: Sami Valimaki What's in the bag?
"He’s got a lot of imagination. He’s pretty quiet, he’s pretty low key, goes about his business quite well in relation to his work ethic and his practice and the way he does things.
"He has quite a hell of an amount of course management already which makes my job quite easy to be honest.
"The kid’s just turned 22 and he’s got a big, big future ahead of him, he’s such a good ball striker."
Valimaki currently ranks 157th in the world.
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Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
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