HIGH SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: MAKING A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION VALENCIA GOLFER SUCCEEDS DESPITE COURSE UNFAMILIARITY.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer

No local knowledge? No problem for Louis Amira.

The 15-year-old Valencia High sophomore, whose family moved from Florida to the Santa Clarita Valley in November, has since been trying to adjust from bermuda greens to bent-grass putting surfaces and from humidity to dry climate.

In addition, Amira had never been on almost every course he has played in his first season of California golf.

Not that unfamiliarity has been much of a problem for the latest Valencia golf whiz. Amira is off to a fast start in maintaining a Vikings' legacy of excellence launched by Los Angeles City champion Brad Uptgraft and extended by four-year starter Brandon Christianson, who shot a school- record 10-under-par 62 as a junior.

Last week, in his first round at Canyon Country Club in Palm Springs, Amira shot a 5-under 67 to finish second in the Southern Section individual final.

It was the highest section placement by a Valencia golfer since 2003 Daily News Player of the Year Christianson was third as a sophomore in 2002.

``I'd have to say he's equal to Brandon at a similar stage,'' said Valencia coach Rusty Swisher, who has seen both players contribute to program milestones as sophomores.

Four-time All-Foothill League golfer Christianson led the Vikings to a league title in his league MVP sophomore season.

Amira's second place at the section final was the best big-match finish by a Santa Clarita Valley high school golfer since Hart of Newhall's Brian Edick was CIF/SCGA runner-up in 2001, when he was Daily News Player of the Year.

The section final continued a remarkable run of quick-study excellence by Amira. He shot 71-69 in his first try at Palm Desert's par-72 Desert Falls Country Club in a junior tournament last month and shot 71-68 in another junior event, at par-72 Twin Oaks Golf Club in San Marcos in March.

There was an even-par 72 at the Robinson Ranch Valley course in the Santa Clarita Valley Preview, a 1-under-par 71 in the Southern Section prelims at River Ridge Golf Club in Oxnard, and a 2-over 73 in the Oak Park Invitational at Camarillo's Sterling Hills Golf Club, where Amira came within two shots of winning the tournament.

``Usually, the first time I see a course is one of the better times I'll play it,'' said Amira, who finished 24th in the Florida state high school championship as a freshman and has been selected to play for the Southern California PGA junior team in Hogan Cup competition this summer.

Amira, whose father, Mike, has been a golf-teaching professional since 1991, received the same advice from his father that instructor Jack Grout once gave a young Jack Nicklaus - learn to hit the ball hard first, then work on the accuracy.

The result is a powerful swing that has the Valencia sophomore often approaching greens with short-iron second shots, and the accuracy has long since kicked in to set up plenty of birdie opportunities - including eight he made during a 29-putt round in the section final.

That round earned Amira a berth in Thursday's CIF/SCGA (Southern California) championship at the SCGA Golf Club in Murrieta. The top six individuals advance to the June 8 state final at Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach.

Amira is smart enough - one B from an all-A high school career - to know a good game is no guarantee of victory Thursday. He also is optimistic, because his putting is finally starting to match these California greens.

And he's got that unfamiliarity thing working - which has turned out to be a huge advantage all season.

Dave Shelburne, [phone]

dave.shelburne(at)dailynews.com

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Valencia High sophomore Louis Amira shot a 5-under 67 to finish second at the Southern Section individual final.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer

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