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Fran Quinn’s 68 a 1st-day highlight at US Open

By WTOP Staff

JOEDY McCREARY
AP Sports Writer

PINEHURST, N.C. (AP) — For the past 18 years, Fran Quinn never had the time to play the U.S. Open.

He had more important things to do — like scratching out a living on the Web.com Tour.

Now that he’s finally here, he’s making the most of it.

In the field for the first time since 1996, Quinn shot a 2-under 68 on Thursday to join three other players in a tie for second — three shots behind Martin Kaymer.

In the process, the 49-year-old Massachusetts player authored the first chapter of what could become one of the feel-good stories of this U.S. Open.

Quinn has 15-year-old son Owen carrying his clubs and his late father’s memory on his mind.

“It’s a dream,” he said, “and I hope I don’t wake up until Sunday.”

For someone whose career has mostly been spent in golf’s equivalent of the minor leagues, this was the round of a lifetime.

Quinn’s best finish at a U.S. Open came in 1994, when he wound up 43rd at Oakmont. He missed the cut two years later at Oakland Hills and hadn’t been back to one since.

“I had other opportunities to go to the qualifying, but unfortunately — I had been out on the Web.com Tour a lot and I was right on the cusp of getting my card out there,” Quinn said. “You couldn’t really afford not to play. So unfortunately, you had to skip the Open at times.”

He has four wins on the Web.com Tour but none since the 2010 Panama Claro Championship. He missed the cut in his only PGA Tour event last year, the Travelers Championship, and also was cut in eight of the 13 tournaments on the Web.com Tour that year and finished 177th on the money list.

Quinn missed the cut at his only Web.com tournament this year, the Panama Claro, and had to play his way to Pinehurst No. 2. He was the co-medalist at a sectional qualifier this month in Purchase, New York.

“To come back and play this year, I’m 49 years old, it’s Father’s Day weekend, I’ve got my boy on the bag, my dad (Fran Quinn Sr.) passed away two years ago, and I know he’s looking down today,” Quinn said. “And it’s just a tremendous feeling.”

Especially with the way he played — following up a strong start with a strong finish while recording what he called “a heck of a score at the U.S. Open.”

He birdied two of his first five holes, hung around the top of the leaderboard all day and closed his round with a birdie on the par-3 ninth after landing his tee shot about 2 feet from the flagstick.

“I was like, ‘Wow, this is really — you shot 68,'” Owen Quinn said. “Reality set in.”

Now his mission is to avoid becoming a one-round wonder.

As tough as it is to put together a solid 18 holes at a U.S. Open, it’s even tougher to do it a second time.

“It is only one round, but it’s nice to put up the great score the first day,” Quinn said. “But you know you have to keep it going. But having said that, it was a dream start. It was everything that I could want and more.”

___

Follow Joedy McCreary on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joedyap

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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