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NCAA men’s golf championships head to Kansas

By WTOP Staff

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — Patrick Rodgers heads to wind-swept Prairie Dunes this weekend in the rarest of company.

He’s intent on joining a club entirely of his own.

With a victory at the NCAA championships, Rodgers can break a tie with Tiger Woods for the most wins in Stanford history. The junior earned the 11th of his decorated career during regional qualifying, giving the world’s top-ranked amateur five wins in his last six events.

“I’ve talked to him and seen him throughout this spring, and I’m telling you, he’s going to try to put this team on his back to ride them to a national championship,” said Steve Burkowski, who will help cover the championships for the Golf Channel.

It won’t be easy for Rodgers or the Cardinal.

The tournament features one of the deepest fields in years in both the individual and team races. Top-ranked Alabama will try to defend its title against the likes of Oklahoma, Georgia Tech, California and Georgia, while Rodgers will contend with a host of challengers — including teammate Cameron Wilson — for individual medalist honors.

Then there’s the fact that they’ll be competing at venerable Prairie Dunes, the Perry Maxwell-designed masterpiece regarded as one of the world’s best courses.

The tournament begins Friday with teams playing 54 holes of stroke play to qualify for the eight-team championship playoff, which will be conducted in a match-play format. Those eight will be whittle down Tuesday to two teams playing for the title Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the individual title will be decided Monday after 72 holes of stroke play.

“I think it’s going to be a more exciting golf course for match play than it is stroke play, especially given that these kids all hit it so far,” said Lanny Wadkins, who played Prairie Dunes during the 2006 U.S. Senior Open. “I think that if a kid gets down early, he might want to take some chances, and we might see some exciting matches because of that.”

While a handful of schools are considered the front-runners, led by Alabama after its 22-stroke victory at regionals, there are some intriguing stories deeper in the field.

Houston, which has a record 16 team championships, has qualified for the first time in 13 years, while Iowa State is in the field for the first time since 1953.

“It’s pretty emotional and really special,” Iowa State coach Andrew Tank said. “It’s something as a team was our goal at the beginning of the season. We knew we could do it. But you never know how you react once you actually achieve your goal. It’s a great feeling.”

In the individual race, the Stanford duo of Rodgers and Wilson will be pushed by the Alabama trio of Robby Shelton, Cory Whitsett and Trey Mullinax. Shelton is ranked second to Rodgers in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin collegiate rankings.

“This is a special group that really likes to compete,” Crimson Tide coach Jay Seawell said last week. “They’re great players, obviously, but they have a special bond and chemistry and work so well together. That is really what makes them special.”

Other individuals to watch include Georgia Tech’s Ollie Schniederjans, Joey Garber and Lee McCoy of Georgia, and Wyndham Clark from Oklahoma State.

“All the teams have talent and the ones at the top are especially deep,” said Georgia coach Chris Haack, whose team will be seeking its third national title. “The player who claims medalist honors and the team that survives stroke play and match play definitely will have earned it. We’ve got a shot to be successful but we know we have to be at our best.”

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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