GOLF.AI • Nov 24, 2025

Finland's First: Valimaki's Historic Win

History was made on the shores of St. Simons Island as Sami Valimaki captured The RSM Classic, becoming the first-ever Finnish-born player to win on the PGA TOUR. The victory marks the culmination of a journey that saw Valimaki find renewed purpose and achieve a long-held dream.

Valimaki's path to this moment was one of perseverance. After an early victory on the DP World Tour, he briefly felt he might have reached his peak. However, the opportunity in 2023 to earn a PGA TOUR card through the DP World Tour's top-10 rekindled his motivation, setting him on a two-year mission that concluded with this breakthrough triumph. "It's been a long road," Valimaki reflected after his win.

The emotion of the achievement was palpable. As the final putt dropped, Valimaki celebrated with a fist pump and a kiss to his putter before being mobbed by a group of diehard fans who had traveled from Finland to witness the moment. Their praise of him as an "amazingly kind person, super chill" added a personal touch to the national celebration. For Valimaki, the win was bigger than himself. "That’s why the emotions come up… I hope I can bring more golfers from Finland," he said, dedicating his historic victory to inspiring a new generation back home.