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Golf Glance

By WTOP Staff

The Associated Press

All Times EDT

PGA TOUR

THE GREENBRIER CLASSIC

Site: White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Course: The Greenbrier Resort, The Old White TPC (7,287 yards, par 70).

Purse: $6.5 million. Winner’s share: $1.17 million.

Television: Golf Channel (Thursday, 3-7 p.m., 7:30-11:30 p.m.; Friday, midnight-4 a.m., 3-7 p.m., 7:30-11:30 p.m.; Saturday, midnight-4 a.m., 1-2:30 p.m., 6:30-11 p.m., 11:30-4 a.m.; Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m., 7 p.m.-4 a.m.) and CBS (Saturday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m.).

Last year: Sweden’s Jonas Blixt shot 66-67-67-67 for a two-stroke victory.

Last week: England’s Justin Rose won the Quicken Loans National at Congressional, beating Shawn Stefani with a par on the first hole of a playoff.

Notes: Masters champion Bubba Watson, at No. 3 in the world, is the top-ranked player in the field. No. 17 Jimmy Walker, No. 18 Steve Stricker and No. 25 Keegan Bradley are the only other players in the top 25. … The top four finishers not previously eligible for the British Open will earn spots in the July 17-20 tournament at Royal Liverpool, provided they are among the top 12 and ties. … In the inaugural event in 2010, Stuart Appleby shot the fifth 59 in PGA Tour history to win by a stroke. Appleby birdied the final three holes and finished the 11-under round with nine birdies and an eagle. … Tom Watson and Nick Faldo are playing. Tom Watson is Greenbrier’s golf professional emeritus. … Tour victory leader Sam Snead was Greenbrier’s professional for 29 years and served as professional emeritus from 1993 until his death in 2002. … The John Deere Classic is next week in Silvis, Illinois.

Online: http://www.pgatour.com

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EUROPEAN TOUR

FRENCH OPEN

Site: Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Course: Le Golf National, Albatross Course (7,331 yards, par 71).

Purse: $4.1 million. Winner’s share: $682,190.

Television: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 4:30-7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.-noon; Sunday, 7:30 a.m.-noon).

Last year: Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell beat Richard Sterne by four strokes.

Last week: Fabrizio Zanotti won the BMW International Open in Germany to become the first player from Paraguay to win a European Tour event. He beat Henrik Stenson on the fifth hole of a playoff. Rafa Cabrera-Bello was eliminated on the fourth extra hole, and Gregory Havret dropped out on the second.

Notes: U.S. Open champion Martin Kaymer is in the field along with McDowell, French star Victor Dubuisson and Phoenix Open winner Kevin Stadler. Kaymer missed the cut last week in Germany in his home event. … First played in 1906, the tournament is the oldest in continental Europe. … France’s Thomas Levet won the 2011 event. … The Scottish Open is next week at Royal Aberdeen, followed by the British Open at Royal Liverpool.

Online: http://www.europeantour.com

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WEB.COM TOUR

NOVA SCOTIA OPEN

Site: Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Course: Ashburn Golf Club, New Course (7,014 yards, par 72).

Purse: $650,000. Winner’s share: $117,000.

Television: Golf Channel (Thursday-Friday, 12:30-2:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 3-6 p.m.).

Last year: Inaugural event.

Last week: England’s Greg Owen won the United Leasing Championship in Newburgh, Indiana, overcoming a seven-stroke deficit with a 5-under 67 for a one-shot victory.

Notes: Canada’s Adam Hadwin won the tour’s Chile Classic in March. … The Utah Championship is next week, followed by the Boise Open.

Online: http://www.pgatour.com

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LPGA TOUR

Next event: Women’s British Open, July 10-13, Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Southport, England.

Last week: Stacy Lewis won the NW Arkansas Championship by a stroke for her third victory of the year. The top-ranked Lewis played at the University of Arkansas.

Online: http://www.lpga.com

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CHAMPIONS TOUR

Next event: U.S. Senior Open, July 10-13, Oak Tree National Golf Club, Edmond, Oklahoma.

Last week: Bernhard Langer won the Senior Players Championship at Fox Chapel in Pittsburgh for his third victory of the year, beating Jeff Sluman with a birdie on the second hole of a playoff.

Online: http://www.pgatour.com

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OTHER TOURNAMENTS

MEN

JAPAN GOLF TOUR: Nagashima Shigeo Invitational SEGA Sammy Cup, Thursday-Sunday, The North Country Golf Club, Hokkaido, Japan. Online: http://www.jgto.org

PGA TOUR CANADA: Dakota Dunes Open, Thursday-Sunday, Dakota Dunes Golf Links, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Online: http://www.pgatourcanada.com

SUNSHINE TOUR: Sun City Challenge, Wednesday-Friday, Lost City Golf Course, Sun City, South Africa. Online: http://www.pgatour.co.za

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE TOUR: Aegean Airlines Challenge, Thursday-Sunday, Hartl Resort, Bad Griesbach, Germany. Online: http://www.europeantour.com

eGOLF PROFESSIONAL TOUR: ArrowCreek Open, Tuesday-Thursday, ArrowCreek Country Club, Legends Course, Reno, Nevada. Online: http://www.egolfprofessionaltour.com

WOMEN

LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR: Ladies European Masters, Thursday-Sunday, Buckinghamshire Golf Club, Denham, England. Online: http://www.ladieseuropeantour.com

JAPAN LPGA TOUR: Nichi-Iko Ladies Open, Friday-Sunday, Yatsuo Country Club, Toyama, Japan. Online: http://www.lpga.or.jp

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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