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Amateur Fitzpatrick shoots 71 in US Open debut

By WTOP Staff

AARON BEARD
AP Sports Writer

PINEHURST, N.C. (AP) — Matthew Fitzpatrick never looked overwhelmed Thursday, not by the pressure of his first U.S. Open nor by the two guys next to him.

One was the defending champion, Justin Rose.

The other was Phil Mickelson.

The U.S. Amateur champion handled the moment just fine at Pinehurst No. 2. He opened with a 1-over 71 in his final event before turning pro. There were good moments (four birdies), bad (five bogeys) and frustrating (a one-shot penalty) in a performance that left the Englishman “pleased and disappointed at the same time, really.”

“For me, we just played away from flags and tried to play for the fattest part of the green — fattest and flattest,” Fitzpatrick said. “And I ended up pulling it or pushing it close to the flags I think, so it was kind of a positive plan in a way. It worked out quite well on some holes and not so well on others.”

Fitzpatrick, with boyish looks younger than his 19 years, had a solid start while playing alongside Rose and Mickelson in one of the day’s most watched groups.

Fitzpatrick birdied two of his first three holes while starting on the back nine and avoided major trouble, leaving him solidly in the upper half of the leaderboard.

Fitzpatrick — who is scheduled to make his professional debut next week at the Irish Open — twice had back-to-back bogeys to erase his fast start, then picked up a penalty stroke that led to his final bogey late in the round. After hitting long of the green on the par-4 eighth, Fitzpatrick said the ball moved as he rested his club in the grass.

“He’s a wonderful putter and probably left one or two out on the green,” Rose said. “I think 71 he shot was a great round of golf. But he could have had an opportunity to be a couple better than that. He played really well today.”

Fitzpatrick said both Rose and Mickelson stayed positive and complimented his good shots during the round, while Mickelson kept the mood light when one of his shots rolled into and in front of Fitzpatrick’s marker on the par-5 fifth.

“He came over and he said, ‘Is that all right there?'” Fitzpatrick said. “He was obviously joking, and I didn’t think he was. I was like, ‘I’m going to need that moved.’ He said, ‘Don’t worry, I’m joking.’ Then he did say that saved him probably about 2 feet. So I guess if he does win, I’ve contributed a little bit.”

Last summer, Fitzpatrick became the first British player to win the U.S. Amateur title since 1911. He also won the silver medal in the British Open at Muirfield as the top amateur.

He enrolled at Northwestern University as the top-ranked amateur in the world before announcing in January that he was leaving school to focus on his playing career.

He had failed to make the cut at two of his three PGA Tour events this year, including the Masters.

At Pinehurst, though, he is in position to keep playing through the weekend.

“I’m not saying that I (could) compete with them just yet because I don’t feel like I can,” Fitzpatrick said about Rose and Mickelson. “Obviously, they’re fully grown men. They’ve been on Tour for years, and they know what they’re doing. I think it’s just sort of getting to that stage of developing my game to try to be as good as theirs.”

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Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap

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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