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Catriona Matthew leads Airbus LPGA Classic

By WTOP Staff

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Catriona Matthew remained atop the Airbus LPGA Classic leaderboard Friday, birdieing four of the last seven holes to take a one-stroke advantage over Charley Hull into the weekend.

The 44-year-old Matthew had a 5-under 67 to reach 13-under 131 on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Crossings Course. The 18-year-old Hull also shot 67.

Matthew had six birdies and a bogey — on the par-4 ninth — in her afternoon round.

“I played actually probably pretty well today,” said Matthew, who opened with a 64 on Thursday. “I hit 17 greens, so I gave myself a lot of chances. I didn’t hole many on the front nine, but then the putter got going a little bit on the back nine.”

The Scot won the last of her four LPGA Tour titles in 2011.

“Obviously, there’s still 36 holes to go,” Matthew said. “If it’s anything like the first two days, we’re going to have to keep making birdies.”

Hull also dropped a stroke on No. 9, her final hole of the day. The English player birdied Nos. 6-8 and had five birdies in a seven-hole stretch before closing with her lone bogey of the week.

“Hitting it pretty straight,” Hull said. “Hit my irons good and holing some good putts. Missing a few putts, but you’re always going to miss a few putts when you’re playing well. But I’m just excited about this golf course. I quite like it.”

Hull won a Ladies European Tour event in Morocco in March a week before her 18th birthday. She closed with a 9-under 62 and won on the first hole of a playoff.

The teen is comfortable in the warm conditions in Mobile.

“The weather’s been pretty hot, but I quite like it,” Hull said. “I think it’s a great place and it’s very green and a bit different than I expected. The trees are a lot different, but I enjoy it a lot.”

Anna Nordqvist, Jessica Korda and Hee Young Park were 10 under. Nordqvist, the winner in Thailand and Carlsbad, had a 66. Korda, the Bahamas champion, shot 67, and Park had a 66.

“I got the ball close and was able to kind of make a couple putts on my front nine, which was the back nine,” Korda said “Hopefully, I can keep that momentum going.”

Park, playing alongside Matthew, eagled the par-5 16th for the second straight day.

Kraft Nabisco winner Lexi Thompson and Jenny Shin were 9 under. Thompson had a 65, and Shin shot 68.

Second-ranked Stacy Lewis, No. 4 Suzann Pettersen and three-time Mobile winner Se Ri Park topped the group at 8 under.

Lewis, the 2012 champion who won the North Texas LPGA Shootout three weeks ago, matched Pettersen with a 70. Pak, the 2010 winner who also won the Tournament of Champions at the course in 2001 and 2002, had a 69.

Michelle Wie, the winner in Hawaii, was 7 under. She followed her opening 71 with a 66.

Top-ranked Inbee Park missed the cut with rounds of 74 and 76, ending her cuts streak at 22. She had 34 putts in the second round and played her final nine in 4-over 40.

The South Korean star is winless in nine tour starts this season after sweeping the first three majors last year and finishing the season with six victories. She last missed a cut last May in the Bahamas.

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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