Chris Baas, of Albert Lea, captured his fifth Shortstop title Monday with a 1 up win over Phil Schmidt in a match that went down to the final hole at Green Lea Golf Course.

Baas edged out Schmidt on No. 18 by making par. Schmidt made bogey after he hit his drive into the rough on the right side. Schmidt punched out to just in front of the green and chipped on, but two-putted for a bogey.

Baas hit his second shot to the right front of the green and two-putted to make par and win the championship. Baas joined Ole Williamson and Dick Davies as the third player to win the Shortstop five times.

“Phil is a very good player and one of the top in the state,” Baas said. “It’s gratifying anytime you beat a player of his caliber.”

The match was close the entire way with neither player ever gaining more than a two-hole advantage. Baas and Schmidt were all square after Schmidt won No. 16. It was a comeback win of sorts for Baas who went two down after two holes.

“I got down early and I was a little worried, but I got a birdie on three and I got four,” Baas said. “I got everything back. Then he made a great putt on five and I hit one out of bounds on six and I was right back to two down.”

The back nine was even more contentious as Schmidt won No. 11, Baas took Nos. 12 and 13. Schmidt won No. 14, but Baas won No. 15.

“I just kept grinding as hard as I could,” Baas said. “I was just going to have a good swing thought over every shot and try as hard as I could. I knew I had to make some birdies coming down the stretch and I did make a few.”

The wind and the toil of the three day tournament began to wear on both players as they battled through their second round of the day and fourth in two days.

“It’s just a long tournament,” Baas said. “It’s a real grind mentally and physically.”

The final hole of the championship was a snapshot of Schmidt’s entire day. Schmidt struggled with his short game and when he needed to chip close to save the match he failed.

“I just hit my drive wide and I hit a great punch shot, then I hit another one of those chips that wasn’t very good and missed putts,” Schmidt said. “It’s one of those you’d like to be able to chip into a five foot circle if you could and I couldn’t do it.”

The win concluded a terrific tournament run by Baas. In the second round of the tournament Saturday Baas was facing defending champion Andy Jacobson and stood five down after six holes. But on the eighth hole Baas reached a turning point in the match and the tournament when he scrambled to win the hole.

“I shanked a six iron on the eighth hole and I got it up and down and he three putted,” Baas said. “In the back of my mind I was thinking ‘I’m going to be down six going to nine,’ but I ended up winning the hole and being down four. It was a big turning point and I just kept grinding away like I did today and you never know what’s going to happen.”

Baas defeated Mike Nelson 5 and 4 earlier in the day to reach the championship and Schmidt defeated Andy Petersen 2 and 1.