ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — The ultimate event of the FedExCup Fall and the chase for PGA TOUR cards unfolded on Sunday at The RSM Classic, and the action did not disappoint. While Sami Valimaki converted a 54-hole lead into becoming Finland's first PGA TOUR winner, the top-100 bubble that guaranteed full status for 2026 waxed and waned with each birdie and bogey carded on Sea Island's Seaside Course.

Two names outside the bubble immediately took front and center in the final round: Ricky Castillo, the University of Florida standout and PGA TOUR rookie who earned his card through the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour, and Andrew Putnam, a TOUR winner in 2018 who shot a first-round 61 at Sea Island to jump into contention.

Both players birdied five of their first seven holes to jump within the projected top 100. Castillo, who entered the week at No. 135 and needed at a minimum a three-way T2 to secure his TOUR card, kept the pedal down on the front nine to make the turn in 28. Putnam ran out of steam on the back nine with two bogeys and then a double-bogey 6 on No. 14 to effectively end his chances at a spot in the top 100. Castillo, with his brother Derek on the bag, threatened Valimaki's lead until he missed a 3-foot par putt on the par-3 12th that brought him back to 19-under.

"Honestly, six months ago, if I miss that. ...," Castillo said after his round, "I probably end up 16- or 17-under. I've just grown so much mentally and emotionally that I was able to totally forget about it and focus on the next shot and end up playing 2-under coming in. I'm just proud of myself for that."

Castillo regrouped with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 15-16, including a 32-foot putt on 16. He finished with two pars for a 62 and 21-under, tied with Oklahoma native Max McGreevy for a share of second place. Castillo was projected 95th in the standings when he walked off the course, hoping that his score would hold for T2.

But McGreevy had other plans, sinking a must-make putt on the final hole for a share of the lead, bumping Castillo into solo third place and out of the FedExCup top 100.

Castillo will have conditional status for the 2026 season and also the opportunity to earn his TOUR card at Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry, contested at TPC Sawgrass' Dye's Valley Course from Dec. 11-14. He expressed his confidence at Q-School and learning curve navigating his first full season on the PGA TOUR.

"I feel like everything's been really close for a long time," said Castillo. "I missed eight cuts by one shot this year ... I feel like I learned a lot from playing with (Scottie Scheffler) in May, just how his mindset is. I mean, that's why he's the best player in the world and he's constantly the best player in the world."

The odd man out on Sunday, Mr. 101, was Alabama native Lee Hodges. Entering the tournament at No. 122 and reaching the end of his two-year winner's exemption from his maiden title at the 2023 3M Open, Hodges knew that he needed a big week to secure full status. He started the day four shots back of the lead, and jumped into contention with a front-nine 33 and added a handful of clutch birdie putts on the back nine.

Heading into the final hole at a projected No. 102, he struck his approach shot to 10 feet, setting up a must-make birdie putt to crack the top 100. Hodges missed by inches — eliciting a gutting reaction — to sign for his third 66 of the week and a share of fourth place.

"I made so many putts out there today of distance," said Hodges after his round. "To miss one (on No. 18) and say it's that's fault, that's unfair to my putter.

Hodges cracked a rib in February at the Cognizant Classic at The Palm Beaches, missing a string of events, and then recorded five straight missed cuts starting in April. Now healthy and back in form, this marks his first top-20 since June.

Doug Ghim, the Texas Longhorn who earned his TOUR card in 2018 and has retained his status since, entered the week at No. 125. He tied the Seaside Course record on Thursday and carded a final-round 66 to finish T7 and No. 113.

"It stings," said Ghim after his round. "I feel like I've had my opportunities this week and the entire season. I have the power to make any year a good year ... Who knows, Garrick Higgo won early in the season this year (on conditional status at the Corales Puntacana Championship) and ended up playing on this Tour anyway."

Two other long-standing fixtures on the PGA TOUR, Beau Hossler and Matt Kuchar, fell short of cracking the top-100 bubble. Hossler finished at 9-under, in a tie for 64th place and No. 104 in the FedExCup; Kuchar T67 at 8-under and No. 118 in the FedExCup.

Japan's native Takumi Kanaya, who missed the cut on Friday at The RSM Classic and had to play the waiting game, became the last player who wasn't already exempt to earn his TOUR card at No. 99 in the FedExCup standings.