Three days, 54 holes, and a learning curve you could map with a 9‑iron, that was freshman Finn Vile’s weekend from Mar. 22-24.
Viles tee’d it up at the 74th annual L.A. City Junior Golf Championship, an event that trims its field after two rounds before a select few make Monday’s final cut. By sunset on the last day, Finn was holding a bronze medal and a brand‑new sense of his own potential.
“I started shooting for first place after the first round,” Finn said. “At that point I definitely felt confident I could win the tournament, because I basically played the round of my life. The next two days I definitely went in thinking I could win.”
Round one at Encino Golf Course proved the catalyst. Finn carded an even‑par 72, good enough to share the overnight lead. Day two he followed with a 77, slipping but still tying for second and safely inside the cut off point for Monday’s pressure cooker.
“The third round, I played with the final group,” he said. “I didn’t play my best, but still finished third place. I didn’t expect to go that far; it’s the best tournament I’ve ever played in and my first multiday tournament.”
Until now, Finn’s competitive résumé included only a handful of varsity matches. Know he has single handedly represented Costa in a three‑day grind against the region’s best. That context makes his finish all the more impressive.
“The first day I played really well; I shot 72, even par. Sunday I played well again, shot 77, five over. So I moved on to Monday and played the final round, shot 80 and got third place,” he said. “I came into the tournament thinking I was just going to play for experience. I’ve never really been in a tournament where I thought I could win, and after that round I could just tell I had a chance.”
With the Encino run behind him, Finn shifts focus to a string of smaller events scattered around Los Angeles. He plans to enter more large scale tournaments next year, but for now he’s focusing on honing his craft.
“I definitely learned that I’m capable of shooting that low and capable of playing that good,” he said. “Now that I know I can play that well, my goals are to keep playing like that. I think I can even play better, which is good.”
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