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Matsuyama’s par holds off Na in Memorial playoff

By WTOP Staff

RUSTY MILLER
AP Sports Writer

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) — Hideki Matsuyama made two huge mistakes coming down the stretch — and still walked away with a smile.

Matsuyama muscled his way into a playoff with a clutch birdie on the 18th hole, then beat Kevin Na with a par on the first playoff hole to win the Memorial Tournament on Sunday.

It was a victory that could mark the 22-year-old from Ehime, Japan, as the next big thing in international golf. He won in the elite event hosted and founded by Jack Nicklaus and played on his Muirfield Village layout. Nicklaus was also 22 when he broke through as a pro.

“To win my first PGA Tour event is enough, but to win it here at Mr. Nicklaus’ course, it really gives me a lot of confidence going (forward),” Matsuyama said through an interpreter. “Hopefully I’ll be able to use this week as a steppingstone to further my career.”

High drama unfolded over the last five holes with Bubba Watson, who won the Masters in April and should be among the favorites at the U.S. Open in 10 days, ahead of the pack.

Adam Scott, who won the Masters in 2013, was tied with Watson for the lead before hitting into the pond in front of the signature, par-3 12th, making double bogey. He made three more bogeys, costing him a follow-up to his win last week at Colonial.

Watson hit two wayward drives — one at the par-4 14th and another at the reachable par-5 15th — that turned the tournament into a free-for-all. The first resulted in a bogey that dropped him into a tie for the lead.

The second all but doomed his chances.

“(It was a) bad decision, trying to be a hero,” he said of his hooked rocket that ended up in the backyard of a million-dollar home that backs up to the course.

The double bogey dropped him a shot behind Na, who had completed the day’s low round — an 8-under 64 — about two hours earlier. Na had been relaxing in the clubhouse, two shots out of the lead and behind some of the biggest stars in the game.

Watson’s double opened the door for Matsuyama, who led Na by two strokes as he stepped to the 16th tee, a 201-yard par-3 with a narrow green on the other side of a large lake.

“I knew the wind was coming from the right,” Matsuyama said. “I just hit a bad shot.”

His iron shot plunked into the water a few feet short of the bank in front of the green. He ended up with a double-bogey and was suddenly tied with the idle Na, who instantly headed for the driving range.

Then Matsuyama’s second shot to the 17th hole went through the green and he made bogey.

But he came up big when he absolutely had to. His 313-yard drive on the uphill finishing hole left him 165 yards to the treacherous back pin. After he hit it, he tapped the ground with the driver and the head broke off. He just picked it up and stuffed it in his bag.

His approach ended up 6 feet below the pin. When he drilled it into the heart of the cup, he grabbed a spot in the playoff.

Still, Watson hadn’t been eliminated. He also needed a birdie at the 18th to join the fun. But his chip from the fringe rolled well past.

In the playoff, Na promptly hit his drive on 18 into the creek that runs along the left side of the fairway.

“I overcompensated and pulled it,” he said.

After a drop he hit an iron into heavy rough right and short of the green. From there he chipped on.

Meanwhile, Matsuyama, using his 3-wood instead of a replacement driver, hit into a bunker and then hooked his second into deep rough left of the green. But his flop shot came to rest 10 feet from the hole and he rolled in the speedy putt for the win.

“He hit an unbelievable putt,” Na said. “That was not an easy downhill-sloping putt.”

His first victory on American soil followed Matsuyama’s five wins on the Japan Golf Tour. He finished in the top 10 of two majors a year ago. He also gained valuable experience by playing Muirfield Village in the Presidents Cup last fall, when he was paired with Scott in four matches.

Nicklaus was asked about his tournament’s new champion.

“This young man’s going to win a lot of golf tournaments,” he said. “First one in the United States. Got to start somewhere.”

___

Follow Rusty Miller on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RustyMillerAP

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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