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Adam Scott plays as No. 1 for 1st time at Colonial

By WTOP Staff

STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Adam Scott downplayed the world ranking and the idea of being the No. 1 player the past few months.

“Maybe I was trying to take some pressure off myself and just think about playing golf rather than other things that happen from it,” Scott said Wednesday. “I think that’s what I need to do now.”

The Australian finally made it to the top of the world ranking, overtaking injured Tiger Woods after a week at home in the Bahamas. Scott will play as No. 1 for the first time when he tees off Thursday at the Colonial.

“It’s only been realistic for the last week sitting at home,” Scott said, adding the accomplishment isn’t diminished by doing it that way instead of on the course.

“All the playing I did added up to this anyway. It’s just the way the system works,” he said. “Sure, it would have been awesome to win a tournament and jump to No. 1 like some guys have. … But hopefully I can get on and try to win a tournament this week or next week and start trying to keep myself up on top of the list.”

Scott is grouped for the first two days at Hogan’s Alley with two-time Colonial champion Zach Johnson and Jimmy Walker, a three-time winner this season and the FedEx Cup points leader. They will be right behind the threesome that includes Matt Kuchar, No. 4 in the world and with nine top-10 finishes in 13 starts this season.

When he finished second to Boo Weekley last year, Kuchar was No. 13 and the highest-ranked player in Colonial’s invitational field. With a victory this time, Kuchar could possibly take a turn at No. 1.

“I don’t pay a whole lot of attention. I think those are some of the things that take care of themselves, and I’ve always been good at focusing on the things I can control,” Kuchar said. “That being said, I think the No. 1 position is an awesome title. … It’s cool, it’s attainable. I know it wasn’t long ago that the No. 1 ranking was not attainable, and Tiger had such a lockdown on it.”

Second-ranked Woods isn’t sure when he will return from a back injury. No. 3 Henrik Stenson, playing in Europe’s flagship event, should be able to reach No. 1 if he places higher at Wentworth than Scott at Colonial.

Scott has six top-25 finishes in his seven PGA Tour events this season. His only time outside the top 25 was two weeks ago at The Players Championship, where rounds of 67 and 69 where sandwiched by an opening 77 and closing 73 to tie for 38th place. Then bad weather at home last week took him out of his normal practice routine.

“But it was also quite nice to get a bit of a rest. It’s a blessing in disguise,” he said. “I was getting a little frustrated as a player because my swing and everything felt in good shape and I didn’t get four rounds out of it. I got two rounds out of it. Sometimes when you get out of your own way, it’s a good thing, and I think I did that last week.”

Scott is the first No. 1 player in the Colonial field since Nick Price in 1995. When Woods made his only appearance in 1997, it was three weeks before he was the top-ranked player.

Weekley is coming off a season-best fifth-place tie at the Byron Nelson Championship, where he had three consecutive rounds in the 60s. Much better than last year, when he missed the cut at the first stop in the Texas two-step.

“Coming into here last year, I sat out on that driving range and I probably was averaging 400 or 500 balls in the morning and in the afternoon. Hitting balls and hitting balls because I missed the cut,” Weekley said. “I couldn’t figure out what was going on down there with the base angle. And this year I finished fifth there, so I got a little more confidence coming into here.”

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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