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Spieth home at Nelson, where he got PGA confidence

By WTOP Staff

STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Jordan Spieth was a 16-year-old amateur when he tied for 16th at the Byron Nelson Championship in 2010.

The following year, Spieth missed his high school graduation ceremony after making the cut again at TPC Four Seasons.

Now at the ripe young age of 20, Spieth is the eighth-ranked player in the world. He comes home to the Nelson as the Masters runner-up and only days after playing with champion Martin Kaymer in the final group at The Players Championship.

“I owe a lot in my career thus far for this golf tournament and those first couple of starts that I was given to gain the confidence of knowing that I can come out and make cuts and really compete, even at a young age,” Spieth said Wednesday. “I thought this is what I wanted to do for a living. …. The weeks when I was 16 and 17 here kind of put an exclamation point on it that this is possible.”

Since last year’s Nelson, his first getting a paycheck, Spieth became the youngest PGA Tour winner since 1931, earned a captain’s pick on the Presidents Cup team and was named the 2013 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.

When he glanced up at the television during a workout Wednesday morning, Spieth caught a flashback video from his first Nelson.

“I looked like I was 9 years old. It was funny,” he said. “It seems like it was years and years and years ago, a different life almost.”

Kaymer, who tied for fifth at the Nelson last year after four rounds in the 60s, was delayed getting to North Texas because of a cancelled flight Monday night. But he never considered withdrawing a week after winning at TPC Sawgrass.

“I played decent last year and I enjoyed the golf course. The whole tournament was comfortable and very confident” Kaymer said. “I believe once you play well, you should continue, and I was committed to play. … It was my plan, and I usually stick to my plan and my work.”

Plus, the German said this week is “pretty much” the last PGA Tour event this season except for the majors and the four straight weeks in the FedEx Cup later this year.

When the Nelson starts Thursday, Spieth will be paired with defending champion Sang-Moon Bae, the 27-year-old South Korean who in his last six tournaments has missed three cuts and finished no higher than 34th.

“I couldn’t play well after this win. So I’m trying hard,” said Bae, with no top 10s in 27 tournaments since last May at the Nelson. “I had a little bit of pressure and a little stress too, because I worked really hard. … Just playing, just practice, stay patient.”

While Bae has struggled for good results, Spieth has six top-10 finishes this season.

Spieth shared the 54-hole lead at the Masters and at The Players, last week going his first 58 holes without a bogey before five on the next 11 holes and tied for fourth.

“I’m happy that I’ve been in these positions, because I understand now and I’m getting more comfortable each and every time that I’m in a position of high intensity and a lot of pressure,” he said. “I get very lucky on the golf normally, so one of these days it will happen on Sunday.”

Like Spieth in the past, another top-ranked junior player from Dallas has a sponsor exemption to play the Nelson. Scottie Scheffler, a 17-year-old senior at Highland Park High School, is committed to play at the University of Texas, where Spieth spent one season before turning pro.

“It’s been mentioned for a while and I don’t mind,” Scheffler said of the comparisons to Spieth. “It’s a pretty good person to be compared to.”

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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