Freshman’s Future Is Bright on Course

With his bedroom carpet serving as the 18th green at Augusta National, 15-year-old Andrew Lepore of North Hollywood High has created a version of the 72nd hole at the Masters.

Several days a week, Lepore lines up for a pressure-filled putt to decide whether he wins a green jacket.

“I’m up by one and have a six-foot par putt to win it,” he said.

With no hesitation, Lepore firmly strikes his ball and sends it toward two black lines at the bottom of his bedroom door that’s marked as the cup.

If he’s not practicing his putting, he’s in the backyard hitting balls into a net as a video camera records his swing.

Lepore is the No. 1 golfer as a freshman at North Hollywood and has a legitimate chance to win the City individual title next month because he has been making steady, if not spectacular, improvement.

Few people have probably heard of Lepore, who doesn’t compete on the junior golf circuit, but he finished fourth in his first major tournament, the L.A. City Junior championships, last week. He competed in the B flight and shot 69 and 74 at Balboa and Encino courses.

He has a love for practice and an unflappable spirit that fits the game nicely.

He has been playing golf since he was 10. His father, Joe, was the No. 1 golfer at Granada Hills High in 1973 and taught him the sport.

When he steps forward to tee off, observers must pay close attention because he takes no practice swings, a technique he adopted a year ago.

“I read from Golf Digest and my coach has taught me, every time you take a practice swing, that swing is better than your normal swing,” he said. “I just go up there and hit it, and I’m not nervous.”

His ball travels 275 yards, powered by a compact swing, and it usually lands in the fairway. His second shot is equally swift. Again, no practice swing. Once on the green, he’ll take a moment to evaluate his putt, then aggressively strike the ball, with the intention of never leaving a putt short.

His coach at North Hollywood, Steve Miller, can’t make a prediction on how good Lepore might become, but he appreciates Lepore’s demeanor.

“He has a passion for the game, is very coachable and always works on his weaknesses,” Miller said.

Lepore lives in a three-bedroom house in Sherman Oaks that was built in 1923. It overlooks the San Fernando Valley. He’s mesmerized by the artifacts and history of the 1920s and 1940s. He owns a 1929 Sam Snead putter that he bought for $10 at an antique store. He has old hickory shafts and collects coins and stamps from the era.

“It’s an interesting era,” he said. “In the 20s, we had the Great Depression. In the 40s, we had World War II.”

On weekends, he plays 36 holes at Hacienda Golf Club in La Habra Heights, where his father is a member.

Soon, he wants to start competing in junior tournaments to gain experience against top players and test his mettle under pressure conditions.

But don’t expect him to change as the competition stiffens and the stakes become higher.

“You don’t want to get riled up because then you lose confidence,” he said. “It’s tough [staying calm], but that’s the way you have to do it.”

Back in Lepore’s bedroom, the putt to win the Masters has been completed.

Asked if it goes in, Lepore said, “Oh, yeah. Of course.”

Lepore is a teenager dreaming of greatness, and who’s to say it can’t happen one day.

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Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.