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Lewis poised to reclaim No. 1 ranking at Kingsmill

By WTOP Staff

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) — Many of the top players in women’s golf have won when the LPGA Tour visits Kingsmill.

From Annika Sorenstam and Se Ri Pak to Karrie Webb and Suzann Pettersen, it is a layout that brings the best to the top.

No one loves the River Course more than three-time winner Cristie Kerr, but the defending champion missed Wednesday’s Pro-Am due to an illness and her status for Thursday is uncertain. If Kerr doesn’t play or isn’t 100 percent, Stacy Lewis would be the likely favorite to win. She is coming off a victory and has a chance to rise to No. 1, the favorite.

Lewis won the North Texas LPGA Shootout by six shots last weekend, closing with a 7-under 64.

Inbee Park has led the world rankings for 57 weeks, but she isn’t playing this weekend. But Lewis said her focus isn’t the ranking, it’s winning.

“My number one goal is to win tournaments,” Lewis said Wednesday. “Obviously the rankings and the money list, everything like that takes care of itself. The goal doesn’t change: win tournaments.”

Lewis has won nine times in her career and has eight top 10 finishes this season while Pettersen, another favorite based on her track record, has three top 10s after rebounding from a back injury.

She arrived at Kingsmill feeling like she’s rounding into form at just the right time.

“Overall I feel very happy with my game,” she said Tuesday. “I feel great. I’m happy that I kind of managed to get back and get a couple tournaments in before we got here after being out with an injury.”

Pettersen has won 14 times in her career, and the first one came on the River Course in 2007. She was in it to the end last year, too, and then some, losing to Kerr on the second hole of a playoff.

“I’ve been looking forward to this tournament since that last putt dropped last year,” she said. “This is by far one of my favorite stops. I mean, we can say that each and every week, but I’ve had some great success here. I love the course. I think it’s one of the best courses we play all year.

“I’m staying here at the resort. It’s just very pleasant and nice and calm. You have all the facilities you need. If you can’t find peace here, I don’t think you’ll find it anywhere.”

If Kerr rebounds to play Thursday, eight of the top 10 players in the world are in the field with Park and No. 7, Shanshan Feng, the only ones missing. Michelle Wie, one of the tour’s most popular players and in the midst of her best season, also is skipping the tournament. Wie is now ranked 12th worldwide.

Other former champions in the field include Pak, the 2004 champion and Karrie Webb (2006), along with 17-year-old sensation Lydia Ko, who won her last event and is ranked third in the world.

It’s Ko’s first experience with Kingsmill, and she said will place a premium on accuracy off the tee.

“They always seem to put the bunkers where my drive distance goes,” she said.

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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