Summary
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) — On Sunday, Sami Valimaki became the first Finn to win on the PGA Tour, closing with a four-under-par 66 to secure a one-stroke victory at the RSM Classic, the final tournament of the year. During the final hour at Sea Island, the hopes of many players fluctuated.
Valimaki, who had finished second twice in the previous two seasons, used his putter from under the green on the 16th hole and sank an 18-foot putt. He remained steady on the final holes, even as the wind shifted direction and picked up toward the end of the day.
The situation was far more dramatic for players battling to retain their cards. The top 100 in the FedEx Cup standings, reduced from 125 in previous years, receive full cards for the 2026 season, which will feature shorter courses. Ricky Castillo shot a 28 on the front nine and closed with a 62, which looked like it would be enough to propel him from 135th into the top 100. However, Max McGreevy sank a 30-foot birdie putt on the final hole, finishing with a 63 and securing second place, which dropped Castillo to 102nd by fewer than 10 points.
Key details
After McGreevy's putt, Lee Hodges missed a 10-foot birdie attempt that cost him the chance to break into the top 100. His par for a 66 left him in 101st place, just two strokes shy of the target.
At the conclusion of the RSM Classic, the rankings for players 95th through 100th remained unchanged. Valimaki, who had already won twice on the European Tour and finished second in Mexico two weeks prior, now has a two-year exemption from the PGA Tour and is guaranteed a spot in the first two $20 million events in 2026, having finished 51st in the FedEx Cup standings.
“It’s been a long road,” Valimaki commented. “It feels like it’s been a very difficult year, even when I played decent golf. To keep pushing and find good rhythms in the last few tournaments feels incredible.”
McGreevy, who already had his card secured, moved up to 60th place, which also allowed him to qualify for a couple of major events next year. His result dropped Jordan Spieth, who didn't play this fall, out of the 60th spot, meaning Spieth will need sponsor waivers for Pebble Beach and Riviera.
Statements and context
McGreevy played with freedom, without the pressure of fighting for his card. “I’ve never felt so nervous,” he said. “I felt like I was playing to win. Luckily, my best golf came at the end of the year.”
Nico Echavarria shot a 65, tying for fourth place and securing a spot in the 51st-60 range for the major events on the West Coast. Sam Stevens made a hole-in-one on the third hole with a 9-iron over a bunker into a front pin, finishing with a 63 and joining an 11-man tie for seventh. He was already qualified for all the major events.
In his mind, sitting at number 48 in the world rankings, was the concern of staying in the top 50 by year's end to secure a spot at the Masters. The situation is uncertain, as it is for Johnny Keefer, the Korn Ferry Tour's Player of the Year, who entered the week ranked 50th. Both are in that big tie for seventh place and are expected to climb a few spots, as there are still tournaments to be played in Australia and South Africa this year.
