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McDowell rallies from 8 back to win French Open

By WTOP Staff

TRUNG LATIEULE
Associated Press

SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France (AP) — Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland came from eight shots back to retain his French Open title Sunday, shooting a 4-under 67 in pouring rain to win by one stroke.

McDowell made the best of the tough conditions, making five birdies and a bogey for the lowest round of the day to finish with a 5-under 279 total.

“That goes back to my upbringing a little bit in my teens, playing through all weathers and conditions,” McDowell said. “Playing golf in bad weather is an art form. Some guys are good at it, some guys are not.”

Overnight leader Kevin Stadler only managed a 76 to share second place with Thongchai Jaidee, who carded a 72. Stadler still had a chance to win it on the last hole, but he missed a long birdie putt. He then failed to even force a playoff when he missed a three-footer for par.

“I think it’s very hard to lose the same tournament twice on the same day and I managed to do it,” Stadler said.

McDowell had seven top-10 finishes this year on the European Tour and PGA Tour before entering this tournament.

“I’ve pretty much thought of myself a decent bad weather golfer, until the last five years,” McDowell said. “I feel like I’m spending a little bit too much time in America. I’m a little bit soft, and I needed that type of a day.”

Stadler went into the final round with a four-shot lead over Thongchai and Victor Riu. He even got a five-stroke cushion when Riu found water off the tee of the second hole for a double bogey.

Soon, Stadler put himself in trouble by missing short par putts on No. 4 and No. 6. He then double-bogeyed No. 7 by hooking his tee shot into the rough before missing the fairway with his second shot.

Another errant tee shot from Stadler on No. 8 gave Riu a share of the lead.

“It was absolutely miserable,” Stadler said about the weather. “We don’t play in that stuff in the States.”

Four players then shared the lead when McDowell and Jamie Donaldson made birdies on the 13th and 14th, respectively, to join Stadler and Riu atop the leaderboard.

McDowell sank a birdie putt from more than 20 feet on No. 16 to move three strokes clear. But Stadler made a strong charge to get back into contention, tying the defending champion with a birdie on that same hole.

After finishing his round, McDowell was preparing for a playoff with Stadler, but a huge roar from the crowd told him the American had missed his par putt.

“Last night, I didn’t think I had a shot,” McDowell said. “I had a glass of wine or two last night to kind of drown my frustration.”

Robert Karlsson, Michael Hoey and Victor Riu qualified for the British Open by finishing in the top 10 at Le Golf National. Karlsson took fourth place, Hoey placed seventh and Riu wound up eighth.

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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