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Martin Kaymer stretches lead at Sawgrass

By WTOP Staff

DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Martin Kaymer treated Friday as if it were a new day. He wound up in a familiar spot with a 3-under 69 that stretched his lead in The Players Championship.

Kaymer rolled in two long birdie putts, made two good par saves and capped off another solid round by taking on the flag at the back of the island green for an easy birdie. He was six shots clear of the early starters.

Kaymer was at 12-under 132, which would match the best 36-hole score on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass dating to 1994.

Jim Furyk had a 68 and was at 6-under 138.

Kaymer opened with a record-tying 63, finishing his first round on the front nine with a 29.

“I think the most important thing is that you lower your expectations,” Kaymer said. “Everybody else thinks you keep going like this, and subconsciously you think you should. I shot a few of those rounds in the past that I know the next day is very difficult. If I want to compare myself to yesterday, I was six shots worse the first nine than yesterday. So that would be the wrong way to think.”

He would have settled for anything around par, maybe even a shot below par. That was never a problem.

Kaymer didn’t the ball as cleanly as he did on Thursday, though his short game bailed him out the few times he missed the green. The 29-year-old German made his first bogey on the tournament with a three-putt on No. 7. He also dropped a shot on the 14th when missing the fairway.

Otherwise, he is looking more like the former world No. 1 who won the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in 2010.

“Overall, everything is coming together nicely,” Kaymer said.

Kaymer said he would take it easy the rest of the day, saving energy for what typically is an exhausting weekend at a demanding golf course that offers the richest prize in golf at $10 million and a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour, along with three-year exemptions to the Masters and British Open.

Adam Scott was going to spend the afternoon waiting to see if he gets a tee time on the weekend.

Scott made birdie on his final hole for a 5-under 67, leaving him at even-par 77 and at least a chance to make the cut. Scott has not missed a cut in two years, and needs to reach the weekend to have any hope of moving to No. 1 in the world.

Furyk has lived in Ponte Vedra Beach for most of his professional career. He just hasn’t had much success in his hometown event. Furyk has only three finishes in the top 10, and he wasn’t even remotely close to the winner in those years.

“I’ve had the golf course figured out for a long time,” Furyk said. “I just haven’t played particularly well.”

He attributed that to the awkward look off the tee at Pete Dye-designed courses. Even so, he’s in reasonable shape going into the weekend, mainly because he is playing well. While he hasn’t won in more than three years, Furyk is coming off a runner-up finish last week at Quail Hollow.

Bae Sang-Moon, Bill Hass, John Senden, George McNeill and Brian Davis were all at 5-uder 139.

Phil Mickelson opened with a 75 and was among those playing in the afternoon, needing a low score to make the cut. Rory McIlroy was going the wrong direction, already 6 over for his round through seven holes and 4 over for the tournament.

The hardest work for Kaymer was not looking too far ahead. His last victory was a World Golf Championship in Shanghai in the fall of 2011. He spent a year trying to expand the shots he had play — he once only felt comfortable with a fade — because he wanted to become a complete player.

Getting back to No. 1 in the world is the furthest from his mind. He just wants to win. The first step is simply getting into contention. But there was a small measure of satisfaction to get through two rounds at 12-under par.

“When I walked the golf course today, I thought about the same thing — all that work, all the hours,” Kaymer said. “When you’re standing on the range for six, seven hours hitting the same shot, the same drill, you feel like it should be enough. … And it’s a little boring as well. But long term, it will become something good. And obviously, right now it’s paying off quite nicely.”

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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