>> pretty good break to the right. >> he's going to run this through quite a little bit of fringe. >> that's pretty darn good. that's a quick putt. once it stopped turning right, it just goes down that right fall line and picks up speed. >> again, if you just joined us,

two titles on the line. tour championship and the entire fedexcup which began back in january. $10 million to the winner of the fed excu fedexcup, 1 hadn't. 1 hadn't >> not an easy putt to hole at any time, let alone for this. this is a downhill slider right any time, let alone for this. this is a downhill slider right any time, let alone for this. this is a downhill slider right. >> if you're putting well you might make it one-third of the time if you're really putting well. so no pressure. this is a real hard putt to make even if you hit it wonderfully, right where you want with good speed. it is an augusta kind of putt. >> it is from 15 feet.

>> he still might be a way. is he a way? >> i don't believe he is. i think it will be bill haas' putt. he's got a four-footer. >> you talk about it all week long, all season long. the nerves. can you handle it? not only for just the $10 million payout for the fedexcup but the tour championship, $11.44 million makes this and the entire thing is bill haas'. >> yeah. he hasn't missed -- hasn't hit one green in the playoff and had the great up h-and-in last hole. >> could he do it one more time to win it all.

>> biggest win of his young career. man. that's impressive. >> bill haas, tour championship winner. 2011 fedexcup champion. maybe the greatest slot of the year coming out of the water at the 17 had the hoth hole. i vote it number one. his dad's been in a number of big-time golfing competitions but i can't imagine a more satisfying dna day than to watch your son pull off clutch shot after clutch shot. had the tough finish yesterday. tough finish today in regulation. but persevered and take the biggest title of his career by far. >> this is no easy putt. he's got to hit it outside right.

>> the haas golfing legacy just got greater. bill's mom and dad here. his wife here. let's go down to roger maltbie with hunter mahan. >> hunter, i know a long day. maybe at times a frustrating day. didn't make your birdie until the 15th hole. but hung in there, ended up if a playoff. how surprised were you by the shot that bill haas played from the water left of 17? >> it's funny. the practice rounds, my caddie and i kind of looked over there and threw balls down. we saw the lake was so low, there was quite a bit of room there. to miss and still hit a shot. and his ball was -- i don't know how much away, maybe half or so. he spun it. that's all you needed to know.

it was a beautiful shot. he sucked it a little bit. it was impressive. >> there was so much oin the line. everything on the line certainly at the end. how do you keep those thoughts out of your head? >> i don't think you do. i think they're just going to pop in there. i think you're going to waste too much energy trying to keep it out. i think you just have to envision yourself winning it and that's okay. but still stay focused on the show the that's in front of you. >> thank you for your time. you're very gracious. thank you and condolences. >> condolences. i didn't die. >> let's go over to jimmy roberts. >> dan, thanks very much. what started 37 weeks ago in hawaii has come to a dramatic and memorable conclusion here today. bill haas, the winner of everything for the presentation, i go to commissioner tim fincham. >> bill, congratulations. what great play. start with today's work and this week's work first.

you played great all week. four rounds in the 60s, incredible on this golf course the way it was set up. let me just thank coca-cola and southern company for the presentation and east lake for your hosting the event. fantastic week an congratulations on winning the tour championship by coke co-cla. >> that's number one. >> that's number one. and then -- and bill, you came in to this tournament only four players have won twice. 25 players have won once. tremendous parity on the tour right now. 1 1,9,805 shots. the most exciting fedexcup finish we've had.

pill haas, our fedexcup champion. >> they're both yours. >> well, bill twlb were so many story linsz coming in to this afternoon and perhaps we wouldn't have known where to start until you hit that second shot on the 17th hole in the playoff. that was one of the most remarkable things we've ever seen. what were you thinking standing over that ball? >> the second shot i actually thought i hit a pretty decent shot and just pulled it a little bit which might have made it go a xwlit further. it was basically just a bunker down there in the water. it was all or nothing there. i mean, you know, hunter's probably going to make it or two-putt so i had to hit a decent shot. it was definitely some luck involved. maybe had some spin on it there. i didn't even know that. that's very lucky.

>> as i said, the third shot. but as i said, so many stories here and one of the biggest ones is the family connection. you and your father, the only ones to have ever 34r5id in the tour championship. he and your mom were here, your brother on the bag. that must have been an enormous comfort. >> always having my mom and dad calms me down a little bit. i'm not allowed to get a bat attitude out there when they're in the crowd. i just hung in there. very fortunate. this is pretty unexpected. i'm very happy. >> what does this say about determination? because i would imagine coming in to this week this was perhaps not the farthest thing from your mind but you came up here around first thing you said was who won the fedexcup? >> right. i honestly didn't know. i was -- all new, being 25th, all i could do was win and then hope. everything fell into place. i got lucky. webb simpson has played the best

golf of anybody here in the playoffs and. just worked out for me the way the points work for me to win here. i'm very fortunate. this is pretty unbelievable. >> tour championship champion, fedexcup playoff champion. >> papa jay haas, yesterday bill really suffered a tough finish. bogeyed and double bogey. what did you say to him last night to try to pick his spirits up and get him mechbt tally ready to play? >> first i said what what if i told you the bogey the first hole and played the last 172 under par to shoot 1 under. would you think that was okay? he said not really. i just said he's probably playing as well as anybody in the field. just somehow believe it. i'm proud of him for the way he came back. that bogey double bogey finish yesterday, last night we were eating dinner together and you'd have thought he was probably the

worst golfer in all of atlanta, maybe georgia the way he was down on himself. but came out this morning, he made a birdie early and then he made a really nice about 30-foot putt for par at number 4. birdies six at 230 island par 3, xwhafr they have here? i think that really got him going, that shot. >> thank you for your time. glag congratulation to you and bill and enjoy your evening. >> the haas family will have an incredible celebration tonight. by 15 points bill haas takes it over webb simpson who came in aps the top point getter. duke london, dustin johnson and justin rose close out the 25. would you have to suspect by tuesday, just in a couple of days, fred couples will name him to the president's cup team. he'll join his father down under in royal melbourne.

this is a warm an fuzzy type of feel for haas. >> those up and ins, one-putting every hole ajd of koshs the great lake shot that will be played over and over many times. that's a shot of a lifetime right interest. but a great champion in bill haas, a super player ever since he was a little kid. hunter mahan hit a will the of clutch shots and just happened to bogey that last one. >> battle of the college players of the year in successive years in '034 a and '04. on november 17th, the aforementioned presidents cup will get under way in australia. 2 ho 01 20011 presidents cup ges under way. congratulations to bill haas. he takes it all in atlanta.

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rockefeller plaza, just outside our manhattan studios where this week we at nbc news are focusing the spotlight on one of the country's most important conversations, our children's education. we call it education nation, a summit that is bringing together educators, experts and civic leaders in search of ways to improve our schools in the standing of american students. earlier today, inside this venue, we kicked things off with a spirited teacher's town hall meeting. they talked a lot about the struggles they face trying to raise the education bar. parents have had a lot to say too about the job our schools and teeachers are doing. in a brand-new poll, when asked to give public schools a letter grade, 74% of parents offered a c or lower. a grade point average of 1.9. we want to begin tonight with nbc's rehema ellis with more on the state of our education nation. rehema, good evening. >> good evening, lester. today we should talk about how teachers from around the country joined us here for two hours of

passionate and revealing conversation about what it is like in the nation's classrooms. today's conversation is a vital importance because too many of our children are not making the grade. america's public school students are struggling. among 34 developed nations, our students rank 14th in reading, 17th in science, and 25th in math. and a quarter of america's eighth graders cannot read at grade level. the current crisis in education was the topic today at the teacher town hall moderated by nbc's brian williams. 350 people gathered with thousands more online to discuss the role of educators, the obstacles they face, and the heavy weight carried by many children in this country. >> one thing that i try to remember is that it is not a level playing field. we, as teachers, don't know what these children are going home to. >> reporter: the town hall conversation covered everything from innovation in the classroom -- >> we know what to do, we can do

the job, help us to do it. >> reporter: -- to tenure. >> it does not mean you have a job for life. >> reporter: -- to teacher evaluations. >> none of us wants to be teaching next to someone who is not effective. >> reporter: when teachers are coming under critical review, a reminder of what it costs to teach. >> quick show of hands, how many of you, the teachers in the room, spent out of pocket money for -- this is for the benefit of folks watching at home and don't realize this, how many of you estimate you work probably a 60-hour week? okay. or more. how many of you have second jobs to make ends meet? >> reporter: another topic, are teachers preparing students for college. nationwide, 72% of our students graduate from high school. the highest in more than two decades. but those who go on to college are struggling more than in the past. the u.s. now ranks 16th in the percentage of young adults who graduate from college, down from 12th place the year before. but some say college shouldn't

be the only outcome teachers focus on. >> they may have other goals. i don't think it is our sole responsibility to say which school is this kid going to get into, we need to judge the performance of the teacher and the school based on where they go. >> reporter: today, teachers called on all of us to expand the conversation about who is responsible for educating america's children. they talked about the role of principal, superintendent and parent all share. and they asked for more support from everyone to help solve the very difficult and complex problems of failing schools. lester? >> rehema, thank you. nearly every conversation about fixing our schools eventually turns to fixing our economy. and on that front today, the president traveling out west turn up the volume in pushing his jobs plan, while the republican candidates determined to unseed him are trying to adjust to a rapidly changing playing field. nbc's mike viqueira reports. >> reporter: president obama today in full campaign mode. >> thank you so much.

thank you, seattle. >> reporter: kicking off a western swing, three days, five cities, seven fund-raisers. still pushing his jobs plan, while at the same time throwing red meat to his political base. >> don't just talk about helping america's job creators, how about actually helping them. get this bill passed right away. >> reporter: the trip comes after the president gave a fiery speech to the congressional black caucus, with black unemployment near 17%, and many black leaders openly critical of his approach. last night mr. obama had tough words for a close ally. >> put on your marching shoes, shake it off. stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying. we are going to press on. we have got work to do. >> reporter: but there is also turmoil among republicans. >> send washington a message! >> reporter: business man herman cain, well behind in most polls, pulled off a stunning upset

saturday in the florida straw poll of gop party faithful. >> they're ready for solutions, not more speeches. that's what the united states of america, the people, are ready for. >> reporter: the result is a setback for front-runner rick perry, who was seen as the favorite going in. instead, it was cain who won, going away with support from conservatives. >> he just hits 100%. >> reporter: with the republican field unsettled -- >> nice to see you this morning. >> reporter: -- many believe there is room for a late entry. much of the chatter centers around this man, new jersey governor chris christie. months of pleas from donors and activists are growing more intense, but christie still refuses to run. today, one republican who has publicly encouraged christie warned of complacency against the faltering president obama. >> i worry a little bit ironically that the republican field or our nominee might look at that and say, i'll just play it safe, i'll get elected as the default option, you know. he made it worse, i'm not him, vote for me.

>> reporter: and, lester, even as the campaign raises yet another partisan fight over government spending here in washington the latest deadline to come to an agreement and avert a government shutdown, friday. lester? >> mike viqueira at the white house tonight, thank you. after more than 40 hours in the water, endurance swimmer diana nyad abanned her attempt to make a journey from cuba to florida without a shark cage. her face and body swelled from painful stings and medics advised the 62-year-old that more stings could be life threatening. her team says she's disappointed after making it two-thirds of the way, but she told them, the dream continues. we'll be right back. [ mendes ] you know when something's bad -- but you do it anyway?

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some other news we're following tonight, two americans released from an iranian prison are back on u.s. soil after being held for more than two years as accused spies. shane bauer and josh fattal arrived at new york's kennedy airport this morning. at a news conference this afternoon, the pair shared details about their ordeal, and said the only reason they were held for so long is because they are americans. it is a dream come true for boeing, after a nightmarish few years for the company's latest pride and joy, the manufacturing giant delivered its first 787 dream liner to japan's all nippon airlines today, about three years later than promised. at this time of sky high fuel prices, airlines are lining up to buy the lighter weight planes. we'll take a break and be back with more after this. [ cherie ] i always had a job, ever since i was fourteen. i could not make working and going to school work. it was not until the university of phoenix that i was able to work full-time, be a mom, and go to school. the opportunities that i had at the university of phoenix

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finally tonight, when it comes to fame tourist seasons, there is april in paris and christmas here in new york and there is nothing like experiencing fall foliage in new england. the autumn months are a big moneymaker for the state of vermont, which is racing to rebuild after getting smacked by the remnants of hurricane irene last month. as nbc's john yang reports, the folk up there want you to know they're open for business. >> reporter: at hawk inn in plymouth, vermont, they're cleaning up after a most unwelcome guest. >> this was our spa. we had probably about six or eight inches of silt and mud in here that came in. >> reporter: he canceled two weddings and weeks of hotel bookings, but the inn is back open for business this weekend, just in time for the tourists who come to see the blazing colors of autumn. >> probably, you know, a quarter or more of our business between the wedding and the foliage tours. it is a big part of our business. >> reporter: a big part of

vermont's economy. of the $1.4 billion tourists spend here each year, state officials say that nearly one-fourth comes from the four weeks from late september through mid-october. it is so important that after irene ravaged the state, officials formed a special public/private task force and made reopening washed out roads a priority. >> since the storm hit, we have been working from daylight to dark, seven days a week. >> reporter: officials say more than 90% of state roads closed by the storm are open again. but in places like this, where the white river has completely washed away this two-lane highway, route 107, recovery is going to take a lot longer than that. nearly 200 local streets and roads are still unusable. that can hurt even businesses not damaged by the storm. in menden, vermont, a major highway was badly damaged, but traffic was flowing again in less than three weeks.

good news for lynn manny, co-owner of the sugar and spice restaurant. >> a lot of tourism has been coming through here, tourist traffic has been pretty good this week. >> reporter: as vermont overcomes a display of nature's brutality to show off a display of nature's beauty. john yang, nbc news, bethel, vermont. that's "nbc nightly news" for this sunday, an abbreviated edition. "football night in america" is next followed by "sunday night football" with the steelers and the colts. brian williamses will be here tomorrow. i'm lester holt in new york. from all of us at nbc news, good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com