​The 98th Bloomington City Golf Tournament is trimming some excess, and there are no GLP-1s involved in the plan. For the four players who reach the finals of the Phil Talbot Men’s and Paul Gray Senior Championship flights on July 19 at Cascades, Sunday’s rounds will wrap up much sooner with the shift from a 36-hole, one-day finale to an 18-hole contest.
Back in 2013, dwindling participation at the tournament’s highest levels forced Cascades director Aaron Craig to reduce the field to 16 players, down from 32, for match play. The trade-off for slimming the event into two weekends was a 36-hole final played in one day rather than spread over two days on a third weekend.
Jason Bannister and caddie Lance Ringler discuss a shot during the semi-finals in the Men’s Championship division in the City Golf Tournament at Cascades Golf Course on Saturday, July 12, 2025. It was a tough day for the Super Seniors, who were glad to return to an 18-hole final in 2024. “I welcomed that because I have a bad back,” said Super Senior Dan Neubecker, who lost in 30 holes in 2023 and has split the last two 18-hole titles by margins of 1 up and 2 and 1. “And doing 36 holes in one day … I’m good for about 27. After that …”
Meanwhile, the Seniors and Men pressed on through the typically scorching, seven-plus-hour battles, even with twosomes. The only Junior final since 2021 was shortened to 18 holes in 2023. The 36-hole final has been a tournament hallmark since its inception, so this is a significant change. “The biggest aim was to make it easier on the golf course,” Cascades head pro Jason Sims said. “We’re a revenue-driven operation, so shaving half a day off for two matches to wrap 36 on tee times and still finish more quickly helps. The Hall of Fame conducts its program after the tournament, so getting them in and out without people waiting around was important. If you’re playing 36, it’s a long process.”
Sims did not reach his conclusion in a vacuum. “I definitely asked around,” he said. “I spoke with the big players who regularly compete in the city—Hall of Famers. So it wasn’t something I did on my own. I asked around, and the feedback was mostly supportive. They understood the rationale.” The Seniors liked the change, so it’s the Men’s players who have the questions, perhaps. But overall, it’s viewed as the better move. The new format should inject a real sense of urgency into the final. In the past, even a five-hole deficit after 18 could be overcome, as Doak Henry Jr. demonstrated in 2019. Reducing some of that drama early, though, is exactly what the current four-time defending champion notes with a hint of disappointment.
“I think it’s unfortunate that they made that decision,” Jason Bannister said. “There’s something special about a 36-hole final; it really helps separate the better players. It takes the battle from a sprint to a marathon. You can pace yourself, and it allows for a lot of lead changes.” The change, he suggested, also affects the pacing and the tournament’s dynamics as it moves toward a tighter, more accelerated finish.