Complimented by a reporter for his performance in a tournament in the early part of his high school golf career at Evanston, Kieran Low’s response was typically modest.
“You know, I’ve got a younger brother who’s even better than I am,” he remarked.
Now Lester Low is better than anyone in the state of Illinois.
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The ETHS sophomore turned in a record performance and was crowned state individual champion on Saturday at the Class 3A Illinois High School Association tournament held at The Den at Fox Creek Golf Course in Bloomington.
Low’s two-day total of 137 edged out Moline’s Isaac Rumler by one stroke. He became the first Wildkit in program history to win a state championship, providing the sweet part to an otherwise bittersweet finish for Evanston.
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For the second year in a row Coach Jed Curtis’ squad tied for the team championship but had to settle for the second place trophy because of IHSA tiebreaker rules to decide a winner. Fifth man scores --- which don’t usually count in the team total --- provided New Trier with the edge needed to take the team title, after trailing ETHS by five shots entering Saturday’s 18-hole showdown.
New Trier outscored the Kits 293 to 298 on the final day. Defending state champion Liam Kelly, who defeated Kieran Low in a medalist playoff last year, led the Trevian charge on Saturday with a 3-under-par 69.
How many gut punches can one program endure? And what were the odds on another photo finish like 2024, when Hinsdale Central and ETHS tied just one shot ahead of New Trier in the final team standings?
“It’s another kick in the guts,” said Evanston coach Jed Curtis. “It’s just crazy that something like this could happen for the second year in a row. I’m feeling a lot of (different) emotions right now, but we did our best and we have to hold our heads high. It was a wonderful journey --- a great weekend --- and a great season.
“We had different guys step up for us all season and they always supported each other, and cheered each other on. It’s tougher to take this year because our goal was to hoist that first place trophy. Only one team gets to do that. Hats off to New Trier, because they made some really big putts today down the stretch. I thought it (winning the state championship) was between us and them right from the very beginning of the season.
“They (IHSA) have co-champions in other sports, and I’d like to see us do that, or play it off somehow. That tiebreaker is the way they settle things the rest of the (post) season, though, so I can’t really say it isn’t fair.”
Lester Low’s medalist effort of 65-72-137 tied the course record in Class 3A, with his Friday score establishing a new single round mark in 3A history. The Wildkits also counted a 78-68-146 from sophomore Luciano Giangrossi, a 74-78-152 from senior Kieran Low, and a 74-82-156 from junior Henry Schmdt.
Next best for the Kits were sophomore Henry Way at 83-83-166 and seniors Miles Gomberg and Nick Bonaguro. After Gomberg carded a 92 in the first round Friday, Bonaguro stepped into the starting lineup on Saturday and posted an 80.
Lester Low thought his final putt of the day --- a 5-footer for par --- had wrapped up both the individual and team championships with one successful stroke.
That joyful moment didn’t last long.
“On the individual side of this, I’m extremely proud of what I was able to do today. I truly believe that I’m the best golfer in the state now,” said Low. “But at the same time, I didn’t do that well down the stretch --- and I wish I could’ve given my team just one more shot.
“My initial reaction (to settling for the second place trophy) is what could I have done better, you know, woulda, coulda, shoulda. But as a team we have to take the positives out of how we played and look at what we’ve accomplished over the last two years. We were so close to getting that first place trophy, and it stings, but it’s important that we lean back into the positive things about the season.
“I really like the idea of determining an actual state champion. I wish we could go back out on the course and play for it.”
The younger Low’s stunning performance on Friday featured 8 birdies and put Evanston on top of the team standings after 18 holes with a team score of 291. Low registered birdies on the No.2, No. 5, No. 7, No. 9, No. 10, No. 11, No. 16 and No. 18 holes and his shot-making included some of the best putting he’s shown all season.
“That was a really good day for me,” the ETHS sophomore recalled. “I started out with a bad bogey, but then I got in a groove and really was able to execute what I wanted to do. I haven’t felt like that in a long time. I didn’t miss a single putt under 10 feet and everything just went my way. Momentum always comes with good putting, and that day I was able to put together all aspects of my game.
Low led the field by two shots with two holes remaining on Saturday, but gave back a shot when he bogeyed No. 17.
“I hit a couple of shots there that didn’t go my way,” he pointed out. “At that point I was very nervous because it felt like the weight of the whole world was on me fighting for the individual and team titles. But I hit my tee shot (on No. 18) on the fairway and I settled in after that.
“It’s pretty cool to be the first one from ETHS to win a state championship. But I always just try to stay focused and play my game. If I happen to set a record or two, that’s great, but if I don’t, that’s OK too.”
“For our school to have a state champion is something very special,” said Curtis. “He was very calm out there, very composed. He’s a great kid with a great future.”
The addition of the Low brothers lifted Evanston’s program to new heights and put the Wildkits on the state map after years of looking up to other North Shore programs with “country club” players who had more experience and skill on their side.
Kieran Low will continue his golf career at Boston College and had no trouble giving his sibling his due Saturday.
“Lester’s just a special kid,” said Kieran Low. “He’s a super hard worker, and he’s so obsessed with golf. That’s what makes him so much better than everyone else, I think. He’s gone through a lot of struggles, put in a lot of effort and a lot of hard work.
“It really sucks for us to lose in this fashion two years in a row. The odds are not very high that something like this would happen again. But we can’t pout about it. At the end of the day, New Trier had a better squad. It’s on us because we didn’t perform the way we wanted to, aside from Lester. I know I wasn’t confident with my ball striking and I don’t think I made a single putt outside of 10 feet this week.”
Evanston got a boost from Giangrossi on the final day. At 1-over-par through the first 8 holes, he scored an eagle on No. 9 and came on strong with a 33 on the back nine, including birdies on No. 11, No. 13 and No. 14.
“Luciano just played lights out for us,” Curtis praised. “He woke up this morning with a sinus infection or a cold, but he was our team leader today (at 4-under). He played great.
