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11/23 16:12 CST Sami Valimaki holds on for 1st PGA Tour title on final day of
close calls for keeping cards
Sami Valimaki holds on for 1st PGA Tour title on final day of close calls for
keeping cards
By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) --- Sami Valimaki became Finland's first PGA Tour
winner on Sunday when he closed with a 4-under 66 for a one-shot victory in the
RSM Classic, the final event of the year, which saw hopes rise and fall over
the final hour at Sea Island.
Valimaki, who had two runner-up finishes over the past two seasons, used putter
from below the green on the 16th and then holed an 18-foot putt putt. He was
steady over the closing holes even as the wind abruptly changed direction with
a little more force late in the day.
Far more dramatic was everything going on in front of him.
The top 100 in the FedEx Cup standings --- down from 125 players in previous
years --- have full PGA Tour cards for a 2026 season when the fields will be
smaller.
Ricky Castillo shot 28 on the front nine and closed with a 62, and when he
finished, it looked like that would be enough for him to move from No. 135
inside the top 100. But then Max McGreevy holed a 30-foot birdie putt on the
final hole for a 63, moving him into second place alone.
That bumped Castillo down to No. 102 by fewer than 10 points.
Right after McGreevy holed his putt, Lee Hodges had a 10-foot birdie attempt
that narrowly missed and cost him a chance to move into the top 100. The par
for a 66 left him at No. 101 in the FedEx Cup standings by about two points.
When the RSM Classic ended, the players at Nos. 95 to 100 going into the final
event were unchanged.
And there was Valimaki, a two-time winner on the European tour who was
runner-up two weeks ago in Mexico. Now he has a two-year exemption on the PGA
Tour and is assured of playing the first two $20 million signature events of
2026 by finishing at No. 51 in the FedEx Cup.
"It has been a long road, of course," Valimaki said. "I feel like it's a really
tough year even when I kind of played decent golf, and then to keep pushing and
find some good grooves in the last few tournaments, it feels amazing."
McGreevy, who already had his card locked up, moved up to No. 60 to also
qualify for a pair of signature events to start next year. His finish bumped
Jordan Spieth, who did not play this fall, from the 60th spot, meaning Spieth
will need sponsor exemptions for Pebble Beach and Riviera.
McGreevyplayed with freedom knowing he didn't have to worry about playing for
his card.
"I never felt that nervous," he said. "I felt like I was playing to win.
Luckily, my best golf came out at the end of the year."
Nico Echavarria shot 65 to tie for fourth and moved into that No. 51-60 slot
for signature events on the West Coast.
Sam Stevens made a hole-in-one on the third hole with a 9-iron over a bunker to
a front pin and wound up with a 63 to join an 11-way tie for seventh place. He
already was set for all the signature events. On his mind at No. 48 in the
world ranking was staying in the top 50 at year's end to earn a spot in the
Masters.
It's too close to call, as it is for Johnny Keefer, the Korn Ferry Tour player
of the year who came into the week at No. 50. Both were in that big tie for
seventh and figure to move up a few spots, with tournaments still to be held in
Australia and South Africa the rest of the year.
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
