When brothers Kieran and Lester Low both picked up a golf club for the first time eleven years ago, they weren’t just discovering a sport– the boys embarked on a journey that changed the course of their childhoods but also strengthened their bond.
Despite neither of their parents being golfers, Kieran and Lester fell in love with the game during their early childhood after watching legends like Tiger Woods play on television. The brothers eventually picked it up for themselves when Kieran was five and Lester was three. For almost the entirety of the boys’ childhood, they have been competing and thriving in junior golf tournaments.
Led by their desire to improve and their enjoyment of the game, the boys have both quickly become some of the best junior golfers in the area. Kieran, a junior, has already accumulated one of the most decorated careers in ETHS golf history. Lester, a freshman, has already had a couple of historic rounds and is sure to be on a similar path as his older brother.
Kieran won regionals as a freshman, shooting 71, which was one over par. Last year, he had another impressive showing at regionals, finishing third while shooting 74. He is currently ranked 11th in the state for the summer rankings in terms of Junior Golf Scoreboard. Kieran is still looking to make the state tournament as he continues highschool.
Lester has won several junior tournaments around the country. He is currently ranked 5th in Illinois for high school golfers. He was also the youngest golfer to win the Chick Evans Jr. AM event in its 44-year history. In his first tournament for ETHS, coming off of a back injury that sidelined him for the whole summer, he won the Bryn Mawr Country Club quad, shooting 68, which was four under par.
Being on the varsity golf team together has brought Kieran and Lester closer, but it has also provided motivation for the boys.
“We’re always competing against each other,” they both admitted.
“Practice gets boring after a while, so it’s nice to have some friendly competition with my brother, someone so close to me,” remarked Kieran.
While there is certainly a competitive aspect to their relationship, Kieran and Lester continue to support each other through the highs and lows.
“We always try to help each other. If one of us is having a bad day, we are always going to be there for each other,” said Lester. “We are each other’s number one competitor but also friend. We care a lot about each other’s performance. I really want him to do well, and he wants me to do well, too.”
Kieran, being two years older, also acts as a source of guidance for Lester, both on and off the course.
“[He’s] a role model that [I] can look up to, not only for golf. He’s a great brother – I couldn’t ask for anyone better,” Lester shared.
Their devotion hasn’t gone unnoticed by their brothers’ teammates..
“Their dedication to the game, along with their high-level golf skills, motivates us all to work harder to reach the high goals we have as a team,” said junior Miles Gomberg, a teammate of the brothers on varsity golf.
Together, Kieran and Lester are putting up the best scores in recent ETHS golf history. The two are hoping to lead the boys golf team to their third ever trip to state, with the last being in 2013.
The Low brothers are not without their share of challenges, though, but they can always count on support from their coaches and teammates.
Kieran, who admitted that he hasn’t been playing at his best over the past couple of months, found solace in the words of his coach, former ETHS math teacher Jed Curtis. Curtis advised him to “focus more on the process, instead of the results,” a piece of advice that has helped Kieran maintain a positive outlook and persist through this rough patch.
For Lester, the past summer was marked by a stress fracture that kept him off the course. Despite being sidelined, Lester has continued to draw inspiration from his parents, his brother and his coaches.
These challenges have only strengthened their connection with their teammates and their resolve and dedication to the sport.
When asked about their goals for the season, both Kieran and Lester had the same answer: “Win state.”
With ETHS having never won a golf state championship, team or individual, it’s a simple yet ambitious goal, reflecting their shared determination to excel. Even though the boys are extremely committed to their goals, they are always going to back eachother up.
“We are there to support each other no matter what happens,” Kieran reflected. “There is a sense of trust and belief in each other. I am lucky to have that in somebody, but even luckier to have it with my brother.”
