Sami Välimäki fired a final-round 4-under 66 featuring one bogey at the Seaside Course to reach 23-under and win the RSM Classic by one shot.

Välimäki recorded a career-low 72-hole (259) and 54-hole score (193).

“It has been a great week. I can’t much say more than that. Yeah, pretty speechless, but it feels great.”

This first PGA Tour title came in his 54th career start at the age of 27. His previous best finishes were second at the 2024 Mexico Open at Vidanta and T2 at the 2025 World Wide Technology Championship.

He is the first Finnish born player to win on Tour and was invested in showing it was possible.

“I just wanted to have, show the people it’s possible from there. Of course I want to have just more golfers for the golf in Finland, that’s my main goal.

“It has been long road, of course. I feel like kind of how the last year taught me, 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, so it feels amazing.”

Välimäki moves from No. 74 in the FedExCup Fall standings to No. 51 and qualifies for two Signature Events in 2026 via the Aon Next 10 (AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational). He is also projected to move from No. 98 to No. 40 in the Official World Golf Ranking, his career-high rank and first time inside the top 50.

With the victory, Välimäki earned a two-year PGA Tour exemption, 500 FedExCup points, and invitations to The Players Championship, RBC Heritage and PGA Championship in 2026.

American Max McGreevy signed for a bogey-free 63 and earned his second career runner-up finish (2022 Puerto Rico Open).

Compatriot Ricky Castillo finished one shot further back at 21-under having made one bogey. The PGA Tour rookie carded his 18-hole low score of 8-under 62 (previous: 64/R1/2025 RBC Canadian Open) to finish a career-best solo-third in his 31st career start (previous: T5/2025 THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson).

Colombian Nico Echavarria made two bogeys for a 65 and a share of fourth place at 19-under alongside Korean Si Woo Kim (bogey-free, 66) and American Lee Hodges (one bogey, 66).

Sponsor exemption Johnny Keefer of the USA, who finished No. 1 on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour Points List, finished T7 at 18-under for his first top-10 finish in sixth start on Tour.

FedExCup Fall Notes

The RSM Classic was the final event of the FedExCup Fall to determine the Top 100, players who will be exempt into all Full-Field events and The Players next season.

No players moved inside the top 100 following The RSM Classic.

The Aon Next 10 is an eligibility pathway that awards access into Signature Events, recognizing the top 10 players, not otherwise exempt, from the FedExCup standings; Nos. 51-60 in the standings qualify for two Signature Events in 2026 via The Next 10 (AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The Genesis Invitational).

Three players moved into the Aon Next 10: Sami Välimäki (Won/No. 74 to No. 51), Nico Echavarria (T4/No. 62 to No. 55), Max McGreevy (2nd/No. 89 to No. 60).

Three players fell out of the Aon Next 10: Jordan Spieth (DNP/No. 58 to No. 61), Jake Knapp (DNP/No. 59 to No. 63), Kevin Yu (DNP/No. 60 to No. 64).

The Aon Next 10
• No. 51 Sami Välimäki
• No. 52 Max Greyserman
• No. 53 Garrick Higgo
• No. 54 Rico Hoey
• No. 55 Nico Echavarria
• No. 56 Aldrich Potgieter
• No. 57 Chris Kirk
• No. 58 Aaron Rai
• No. 59 Min Woo Lee
• No. 60 Max McGreevy

Related: A road to somewhere?

A DP World extension and the LIV question.