Sami Valimaki won The RSM Classic 2025 on Sunday, his maiden PGA Tour title. The golfer closed with a 4-under 66 for a one-shot victory at Sea Island Golf Club, Georgia and became Finland’s first-ever PGA Tour winner. Following the win, the circuit’s newest winner gave veteran Tiger Woods an unintentional age check.

Speaking after his big win, Valimaki was asked about his ‘hero in golf growing up.’ The Finnish golfer, who sits No. 51 in the FedEx Cup, claimed having none. However, he quickly recalled watching Woods in his early days. Interestingly, the 27-year-old stated Woods was in his ‘early 20s’ when he was born. It is pertinent to note that the 15x major champion had already won the Masters, in 1997 at just 21 years and 104 days old, before Valimaki was born.

The 49-year-old became the youngest golfer in history to win all four major professional golf championships in 2000 at the age of 24. The PGA Tour’s latest winner was two years old at the time.

Replying to a media query about his childhood golfing hero, Sami Valimaki said, as quoted by ASAP Sports:

“I really didn’t have any. No, I don’t. I have to say, I mean, Tiger Woods, of course he was in early 20s when I was born, what I remember from that, but no.”

Sami Valimaki recalls run-in with Tiger Woods

Sami Valimaki also recalled his first-ever meeting with Tiger Woods. The Finnish golfer was 22-year-old when he first arrived in America to play the 2020 US Open at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York. He was a rookie, recently emerged from mandatory military service in Finland, when he ran into Woods on the course.

Five years after the incident, Valimaki remembers being surrounded by cameras and flashing lights who were not there for him. He dubbed it a ‘funny’ experience.

Speaking in his post-match presser at The RSM Classic, Sami Valimaki said:

“That was kind of a funny thing for me. I was at the range and suddenly there was all the cameras were coming in. I was like, ‘OK, there might be someone else coming. They’re not coming to take the pictures for me,’ and then I saw Tiger was hitting half an hour next to me, the ball… It was cool.”

For the unversed, Valimaki had gained the US Open 2020 entry after a major run at the European Tour’s UK Swing events. The Finn opened with rounds of 76 and 78 to miss the cut at his first ever major championship outing. Interestingly, Tiger Woods also struggled at the Winged Foot course, shooting 73-77 to finish 10 over par and miss the cut. It is noteworthy that the legendary golfer was struggling with injuries at the time.