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Lowry, Bjorn lead BMW PGA after 2nd round

By WTOP Staff

BERNIE McGUIRE
Associated Press

VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) — Shane Lowry birdied his closing two holes for a 2-under 70 Friday to join Thomas Bjorn in the lead after the second round of the BMW PGA Championship.

Lowry overcame a double bogey on the ninth hole by making four birdies on his back nine to erase a two-shot deficit to Bjorn, who carded a 72 on a day of intermittent rain showers. The duo was four shots clear of the field with 10-under totals of 134.

Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello (73) and former BMW PGA winner Luke Donald (67) were tied for third. Rory McIlroy was another shot back along with Swedish duo Jonas Blixt and Henrik Stenson after all three carded 71.

The 27-year old Lowry won the 2009 Irish Open in a playoff as an amateur, and then added the 2012 Portugal Masters title after turning professional. This, though, would be by far the biggest win of his career.

“I just have to go out and keep doing what I have been doing,” the 142nd-ranked Irishman said. “I’ve got my coach with me this week, so he’s quite good at getting me ready to play no matter what situation I’m in. And it will be good to go out with Thomas tomorrow and see how I get on.”

Bjorn led by two shots after the first round of the European Tour’s flagship event, but found that advantage gone with bogeys at the first and seventh holes.

But Bjorn birdied his 15th and final holes minutes before Lowry birdied 17 and the last to finish tied for the lead with the Dane.

“We’ll go out and work hard on the weekend and see what the conditions are like and try and play the golf course and not the opponents,” Bjorn said. “There’s two very hard days ahead of us, so we know what this championship is all about. “

Defending champion Matteo Manassero missed the cut after following up an 80 with a 71.

McIlroy fought back from double bogey on the seventh hole, which he eagled the day before, to stay in contention.

McIlroy finished much better than he started, as he eagled the par-five 12th for a second straight day, and birdied three of his last four holes.

“The way the conditions were this morning, being 3-over par after seven wasn’t all that bad, and it wasn’t disastrous,” he said.

Blixt, the Masters runner-up, is eyeing his maiden European Tour victory.

“My golf hasn’t been too great but I kind of saved myself a couple of times, hitting some really good shots,” Blixt said. “I don’t think now with the rain settling in that anyone is going to run away with it.

“But I can’t remember the last time I played wearing so much clothing. It became really cold out there.”

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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