Five years ago, Jason Bannister was a somewhat familiar college golfer from California, who had spent the summers of his youth in Bloomfield, playing in junior tournaments across his adopted state.
First chance he had while in the middle of his career at the University of Southern Indiana was to play in the qualifier for the 2022 Bloomington City Golf Tournament. Amazingly, it’s the only time he’s had to do that.
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Since then, Bannister has won all 20 of his matches in the Phil Talbot Men’s Championship flight. The latest was a 3 and 1 victory in the 18-hole final over Mitch Oard on Sunday, July 19 at Cascades Golf Course, as the 98th edition of the tourney came to a close.
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“Yeah, I think sitting there, I vividly remember the first qualifier I ever played in,” Bannister said. “I didn’t play particularly well the first round. I played with Mitch that second day because we both didn’t play great Round 1. But we battled and I played Tyler Jordan in the first match I ever played out here.
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“It’s surreal to think that if you would have told me then that I’d win five in a row and it’s the first five that I would play in, I don’t think I would believe you.”
Believe it. Only Talbot’s streak of nine, from 1935-43, surpasses Bannister’s run.
“He’s coming off competitive college golf. He’s in his prime, you’d say,” said Oard, 34 and a three-time champ. “Cascades, you can hit anywhere out here and get it on the green. A guy with his game, he doesn’t miss much, doesn’t do anything silly, doesn’t try to get aggressive most of the time. Just stays within himself and you’re tough to beat when you do that.”
Bannister quickly figured out his best approach to match play at Cascades.
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Club selection off the tee sets everything else up. It’s less driver and more about his 3-iron. Good distance coupled with good accuracy puts constant pressure on his foe. Then it’s a matter of sticking his wedge from about 90 yards out. If his putter is on, it can get ugly quickly.
“Going back to that first year, I hit a lot more drivers and was a lot more aggressive,” Bannister said. “It was a little bit more reckless golf than it is now. I’ve got a little 3-iron that hit. It goes the number that puts me between 80 and 100 yards on a majority of these par 4s.
“And if I can hit that, the zoysia of the fairways is just incredible to where it allows me to then, instead of being aggressive off the tee, it allows me to be more aggressive with the second shot. Spin the ball back, bring it into a tight flag, control the golf ball a lot more, which is important out here.”
Walking or riding, he doesn’t lose with sage advice from his favorite caddy.
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“Having Lance Ringler on the bag,” Bannister said. “He’s been incredible for me, just helping me think through it. Keeping me level headed. I was running hot after 13, but he’s just keeps telling me, ‘Reset. Reset. It’s golf, just hit the next shot.’
“I think that’s 18 championships he’s caddied for men’s and women’s out here.”
Bannister was a 3 and 2 winner over Jordan while Oard took down Logan Vernon 3 and 1 in the Saturday semis to set up the showdown between the top seeds.
The switch from a 36-hole to an 18-hole final flipped a switch in both veteran tourney finalists, who knew they would have few chances to rally if they fell behind soon after their 7:30 a.m. tee time.
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“You gotta come out fast,” Oard said. “The front nine, I whiffed on No. 3. That was the chink (in the armor) there. Lost nine. Just didn’t play well the whole time.”
Bannister seemed to have things well in hand, winning 10, 11 and 12 to go 5 up. He lined up a makable putt to halve 13 but his attempt hit the plastic cup insert and rimmed out. Oard claimed the hole and it ignited a run of three wins, the last a nifty 12-footer from the fringe on 15. The lead was suddenly just two.
“Mitch is one hell of a golfer and I know out here, any time a putter gets hot, it’s dangerous,” Bannister said. “So I tried to build my lead. I built my lead through 12. Thirteen was an unfortunate break. It changed the trajectory of the match, but it is what it is. It hit the liner and came back out.
“That definitely gave him momentum.”
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But on 16, Bannister showed why he’s so tough to beat, with a solid drive and an approach that stopped five feet from the cup. Oard was on the front of the green but couldn’t get this putt to go.
“Sixteen is a crucial hole,” Bannister said. “It’s a tight driving hole and he gets up there and puts one right down the middle. And there was definitely some nerves on that tee off, ‘I’ve really got to hit a good one.’ I hit a good one and wedged it close.
“I didn’t give myself the greatest look where I could be aggressive, but it was just stop the bleeding at that point.”
Dormie on 17, Bannister again came through with another tee shot on the green. He made everyone in regulation.
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“Probably my best shot of the day,” Bannister said.
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Oard’s tee shot was left of the green and his chip stayed well left of the hole, so all Bannister had to do was leave a gimme and did to finish it off. By 10:05, it was over as Bannister joined Talbot (11), Ike Martin (8), Bob Cook (5) and Troy Gillespie (5) as five-time champs..
“We gave the crowd that came out what they wanted,” Bannister said. “I just want to thank everybody who came out.”
“Got a little hot there on 13-14-15,” Oard said. “But I had some weird things happen today. I think I had my longest second shot ever into No. 11. I made a charge. Had fun. Bannisters a great competitor. Really good. He deserves it.
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“But I wish we had 18 more. This seems like it went way too fast.”
Former Bloomington North golfer Kourteney Grimes won her first City Golf title and did so in dominant fashion, beating seventh seeded Lisa Wise, 7 and 6.
Grimes, in her first City Tourney, took a quick 5-up lead after the first eight holes and comfortably finished it out.
Grimes, a fifth seed, advanced by knocking off top seed and current Edgewood golfer Libby McElhinney, 6 and 4 while Wise tripped up No. 2 seed Carly Cauble, 3 and 1.
BLOOMINGTON CITY GOLF TOURNAMENT
Saturday’s semifinal results
PHIL TALBOT MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP — [1] Jason Bannister d. [5] Tyler Jordan 3 and 2; [2] Mitch Oard d. [3] Logan Vernon 2 and 1
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PAUL GRAY SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP — [4] Matt Till d. [9] Charles Combs, 21 holes; [3] Brian Muehlhaus d. [2] Gary EuDaly, 20 holes.
ROSS RUSH SUPER SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP — [1] Ike Martin d. [4] Bob Hasty, 6 and 5; [2] Dan Neubecker d. [3] Rory Brown, 4 and 2.
MEN’S REGULAR
First flight — [1] Cameron Cochren d. [4] Aaron Wicker, 1up; [3] Jake Cunningham d. [2] Robert Wise, 4 and 3. Second flight — [4] Russ Wilkie d. [1] Kevin Greve, 4 and 3; [6] Jackson Storm d. [2] Jeremy Wise, 4 and 3. Third flight — [1] Matthew Wilson d. [4] Richard Wise, 7 and 6; [2] Ike Wilkie d. [3] Jim Bothwell, 4 and 3.
SENIOR REGULAR
First flight — [1] Jay Freund d. [4] Dan Smith, 3 and 2; [2] Rick Sheid d. [6] Brian Wise, 2up. Second flight — [4] Brandon Chambers d. [1] Jeff Huntoon, 2 and 1; [2] Ed Huff d. [6] Ramesh Venkataraman, 8 and 6.
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SUPER SENIOR REGULAR
First flight — [1] George Finley d. [4] Keith Houck, 6 and 5; [2] Gerald Wright d. [7] Drew Antilla, 2 up. Second flight — [1] Jim Sims d. [4] Jan Bond, 6 and 5; [6] Sam Janaraweragul d. [2] Brian Werth, forfeit. Third flight — [1] Gary Walters d. [4] Tom Dukes, 4 and 3; [2] Rand McKamey d. [3] Steve Englert, 19 holes.
WOMEN’S
First flight — [5] Kourteney Grimes d. [1] Libby McElhinney, 6 and 4; [7] Lisa Wise d. [2] Carly Cauble, 3 and 1. Second flight — [1] Ann Huntoon d. [4] Sadie Woodring; [2] Mira Bruce d. [3] Merrin Joseph, 6 and 5.
Sunday’s Championship finals (All 18-hole finals)
PHIL TALBOTT MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP: [1] Jason Bannister d. [2] Mitch Oard, 3 and 1.
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PAUL GRAY SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: [3] Brian Muehlhaus d. [4] Matt Till, 2 and 1.
ROSS RUSH SUPER SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: [1] Ike Martin d. [2] Dan Neubecker 1 up.
JANE FODRILL WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP: [5] Kourteney Grimes d. [7] Lisa Wise, 7 and 6.
MEN’S REGULAR
First Flight: [3] Jake Cunningham d. [1] Cameron Cochren, 3 and 2. Second Flight: [6] Jackson Storm d. [4] Russ Wilkie, 2 and 1. Third Flight: [1] Matt Wilson d. [2] Ike Wilkie, 3 and 2.
WOMEN’S REGULAR
Second Flight: [1] Ann Huntoon d. [2] Mira Bruce 3 and 2.
SENIOR REGULAR
First Flight: [1] Jay Freund d. p2[ Rick Scheid, 3 and 2. Second Flight: [2] Ed Huff d. [4] Brandon Chambers, 4 and 3.
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SUPER SENIOR REGULAR
First Flight: [1] George Finley d. [3] Gerald Wright, 8 and 7. Second Flight: [1] Jim Sims d. [6] Sam Janaraweragul, 3 and 2. Third flight: [1] Gary Walters d. [2] Rand McKamey, 4 and 3.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Jason Bannister brings more reign in Bloomington City Golf Men’s final
