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Scott’s marriage a surprise to even his guests

By WTOP Staff

DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Adam Scott’s wedding was so secret that not even his guests knew about it.

One day after the former Masters champion revealed he married Swedish architect Marie Kojzar in the Bahamas, he shared a few details about how he kept the wedding a surprise — and how he managed to go three months before anyone found out.

The parents were aware, and not many more.

U.S. Open champion Justin Rose, one of his best friends, was invited to a party but didn’t attend. He didn’t know it was a wedding.

“We just said we were having a party, so come on over,” Scott said. “So then they had no idea that it was going to happen. So that was the fun little game for me and Marie to play for a while, planning it and stuff.”

They were married April 17, the Thursday after the Australian tied for 14th at the Masters.

For being one of the most popular players in the game, Scott doesn’t seek a lot of attention. Hardly anyone sees him when he’s not playing golf. He typically retreats to his home in the Bahamas or in Switzerland. After becoming the first Australian to win the Masters, he waited until the end of the year to return home to Queensland.

Rory McIlroy announced his engagement on New Year’s Eve. He was asked if he would wait a month before he told anyone he was married.

“No, but Adam is a little different than me,” McIlroy said. “We knew. I don’t know how he kept it a secret for so long from you guys. I had breakfast with him this morning. It was nice to be able congratulate him. He was telling me he had to tell lie after lie just to keep it quiet.”

Scott said that part wasn’t planned.

“We just wanted it to be a secret for the day, and then we haven’t told anyone to keep it a secret since,” he said. “But I think people didn’t want to do the wrong thing by me. So I’ve got them right where I want them.”

He has not played since the Masters, keeping to the same schedule as last year. When he showed up at The Players Championship, he was not wearing a ring.

“We have rings, but I’ve never played with one, so I wasn’t going to start this week,” Scott said. “We’ll see if it makes it to the course or not.”

Scott’s bride did not travel to a lot of golf tournaments when they first were dating more than a decade ago, and he said that probably wouldn’t change. Several in the crowd called out congratulations to him throughout the third round.

The golf wasn’t bad, either.

Scott got off to a rough start Saturday and finished strong for a 69. He was 3-under par, still with an outside chance at finishing high enough to replace Tiger Woods at No. 1 in the world ranking next week.

He said there wasn’t a proposal — it was more like a conversation. As for a honeymoon? They live part of the year in a place most couples go for their honeymoon.

“We figured we didn’t need a honeymoon — our life is pretty much like a honeymoon all the time,” he said. “So there were no real plans for any of that. We’ll just keep on going.”

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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