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Concluding a week in which much more than a trophy was on the line, Sami Valimaki successfully battled nerves and pressure to accomplish a career first at the 2025 RSM Classic. The 27-year-old Finn kept a crowded chasing pack at bay Sunday in Sea Island, Georgia, to enter the winner's circle for the first time in his PGA Tour career at 23 under, one stroke clear of Max McGreevy.

Valimaki is the first Finnish man to win on the PGA Tour and represents the 17th first-time winner this season, a total that clocks as the second most in a single season since 1983. He also follows in the footsteps of Ludvig Åberg and Maverick McNealy as the fifth straight first-time winner to emerge at the RSM Classic.

Already locked into full-time playing privileges in 2026 as he started the PGA Tour season finale at No. 74 in the FedEx Cup standings, Valimaki understood there was still work to be done. With invitations into signature events and major championships on the line, the big-hitting righty punched his ticket into multiple big-time events to open up next year's campaign.

With the win, Valimaki jumped to No. 51 in the FedEx Cup standings. His last three results of the year: T2 at the World Wide Technology Championship, T18 at the Bermuda Championship and now a victory at the RSM Classic. The climb inside the Aon Next 10 -- Nos. 51-60 in the standings -- means he will tee it up in the first two signature events of 2026, as well as the PGA Championship and RBC Heritage.

Commanding the first 54-hole lead of his career, Valimaki looked unflappable from the start of the final round. Two clear of playing competitors Michael Thorbjornsen and Patrick Rodgers, the overnight leader made his presence known early on Sunday with birdies on Nos. 2 and 4.

Charges never ultimately materialized from those two but rather a pair of players in an earlier grouping. Ricky Castillo carded two birdies in his first four holes before penciling five straight birdies onto his scorecard to round out the front nine. The former Florida Gators star tied the front-nine scoring record, turned in 28 and suddenly had a chance to save his season with nine holes to go. Castillo dropped a shot on No. 12 but bounced back with birdies on Nos. 15-16 to post the early clubhouse lead at 21 under.

"I haven't really had a lot of good final rounds this year, so it was really nice to have my best round of the year be on the final round of the final tournament," Castillo said. "Pretty crazy. But yeah, really just happy to shoot a good score and give myself a chance to keep my card.

"Honestly, I was trying to win the golf tournament. In my mindset, coming down 18, I wanted to give myself a chance to win the golf tournament. If I win this tournament, yeah, I keep my Tour card, but yeah, regardless of what happens, I was just trying to give myself the best chance. That's what we come out here to do: We try to win tournaments. We're not trying to finish second; we're all trying to win."

Castillo's 62 was enough to project his name inside the number as he walked off the last hole, but it would not end up there as McGreevy rolled in a 30-foot birdie bomb on the 18th green to push it back outside the top 100. McGreevy's birdie bumped Castillo's name down to third on the leaderboard, giving him the clubhouse lead at 22 under thanks to three birdies in his final five holes and a final-round 63.

He was not the only player to find heartbreak on the final hole, however. McGreevy's finish was enough for him to sneak inside the Aon Next 10 as well, pushing Jordan Spieth outside the number to start the year. Meanwhile, McGreevy's playing partner, Lee Hodges, had his fate in his hands coming down the last as well.

Hodges kept plugging along and arrived at the final hole of his season in need of a birdie to keep his PGA Tour card. He split the fairway, found the green in regulation and faced a 10-foot birdie bid that ultimately slid on the low side and never had a chance.

Hodges finished the season No. 101 in the FedEx Cup standings, while Castillo was one worse at No. 102 after entering the week far off the pace at 135th in the season-long race. With Hodges and Castillo unable to eke inside the bubble, Takumi Kanaya, who came to Sea Island at No. 99, remained in the same position despite missing the cut. Karl Vilips, who was already exempt thanks to his Puerto Rico Open win, was the man to finish at the magic number.

"I hate to hear that I was the one that did that," McGreevy said. "I'm playing alongside Lee, who's one of my good friends. We came out on PGA Tour together in '21, and I'm pulling for him to make that putt just as much as I was for myself to make that putt. 

"It's little successes and defeats. Whether it's a defeat to Ricky or Lee or something like that, they both still played great rounds, gave themself that chance, and that's all they can rely on is to give themself an opportunity. And they did. Hopefully, both those guys, Ricky and Lee, can take care of business either at Q-School or next year with some starts for sure, and yeah, play good golf."

With those players competing for their livelihoods off the golf course, Valimaki commanded the spotlight and made his move on the par-5 15th. Finding the surface in two thanks to a beautiful mini driver from the right side of the fairway, he added a much-needed birdie following McGreevy's heroics on the last.

A par save from 18 feet followed on the very next hole, and he put the tournament on ice soon after as he was able to find the final two greens in regulation to secure his maiden title and the first for his native country of Finland.