HOYLAKE, England - If organizers of the British Open needed any vindication of their historic decision to use a two-tee start at Royal Liverpool on Saturday, it came from Rory McIlroy about 30 minutes after his round. Torrential rain was pounding the roof of the media tent as McIlroy was holding a news conference, discussing his third-round 68 that inched him closer to a first claret jug. Asked if The R&A made the correct decision to go off two tees and send the whole field out early, the tournament leader looked up and pointed to the skies. "It was a great decision," McIlroy said. "They got it right." In a move that riled traditionalists, The R&A looked at the forecast of thunderstorms and heavy rain and decided late Friday to make an unprecedented schedule change. Half of the field was to begin on the 10th hole and all 72 remaining players were to set out within two hours of each other. Sure enough, the heavy rain arrived — 30 minutes after McIlroy rolled in his eagle 3 at No. 18 to secure a six-shot lead with the last action of the day. Players finishing their third rounds were generally accepting of the two-tee start. "Weve never done it before at the Open Championship," said 2011 champion Darren Clarke, who was disbelieving when he was told over dinner on Friday. "Its one of the beauties — you get good tee times, you get bad tee times. "But they had to do it today, and it looks like theyve made the perfect call." There had been only intermittent outbreaks of rain and barely any wind at Hoylake by the time McIlroy wrapped up the third round shortly before 4 p.m. local time (11 a.m. EDT). McIlroys group finished about three hours earlier than usual on a Saturday at the British Open. There was thunder and flashes of lightning in parts of the northwest of England overnight, and the forecast of more of the same across the area on Saturday led The R&A to act. A two-tee start had never been done in the tournaments 154-year history. Spectators arrived with their rain gear and umbrellas. A sign at the back of the ninth green read: "Be prepared, thunderstorm possible." In fact, the main gripe among players and fans was that they were not given enough time to prepare. One spectator was heard complaining that the decision was made too late, because it disrupted his travel plans. "Theres a lot of surprise (among players) that no one could get their tee time until 10:30 last night," 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose said. "Thats very tough when youre trying to prepare for the tournament." Swedish player Henrik Stenson said he had gone to bed not knowing his tee time. "My caddie woke up in the middle of the night and checked it," Stenson said. The split tee times also meant that the duties of Ivor Robson, the official starter for the British Open since 1975, were halved. Players getting underway on the 10th were introduced to the crowds by European Tour official Mike Stewart. "I dont know what to do now," Robson told the BBC after calling out his last name for the day at 11:01 a.m. local time (6:01 EDT). "The last two days the tee times have been 6:24 (a.m.) till just past 4 (p.m.). I will watch golf I suppose." John Randle Jersey .com) - The Vancouver Canucks will try to win two straight games for the first time since mid-January on Monday night as they play host to the struggling New York Islanders. Kirk Cousins Jersey . Gorges is believed to have suffered the injury while blocking a shot with a hand during Montreals win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. The Canadiens added to their defensive depth this week by acquiring veteran Mike Weaver from the Florida Panthers. http://www.authenticvikingspro.com/Adria...vikings-jersey/. -- Another baseball tradition is about to largely disappear: a manager, with a crazed look in his eyes, charging the field and getting into a face-to-face shouting match with an umpire. Brett Favre Jersey . Coetzees finish, with six birdies and no bogeys, took him to 19-under 268 overall and past South African compatriots Thomas Aiken and Justin Walters, the overnight co-leaders. Coetzee was flawless on the East Course at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club to clinch his maiden title after 24 top 10 finishes. Chuck Foreman Jersey . The Spanish champions decision not to sign a defender during the January transfer window may have backfired after Valencia took advantage of a lethargic, uninspired effort by its hosts at the Camp Nou, where former Spain coach Luis Aragones -- who previously coached the Catalan side -- was honoured after his death on Saturday.COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- Retired managers Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox will join holdovers George Steinbrenner and Marvin Miller on the Hall of Fame expansion era committee ballot next month. Dave Concepcion, Steve Garvey, Tommy John, Billy Martin and Ted Simmons also are held over from the 2010 ballot, while Dave Parker and Dan Quisenberry have been added. Vida Blue, Ron Guidry, Al Oliver and Rusty Staub have been dropped. The committee will gather at the winter meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., and its vote will be announced there Dec. 9. Torre and Cox retired as managers after the 2010 season and La Russa after leading the St. Louis Cardinals to the 2011 World Series championship. Torre led the New York Yankees to World Series titles in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000 and finished with a 2,326-1,997 record as a big league manager, also spending time with the New York Mets, Atlanta, St. Louis and the Los Angeles Dodgers. La Russa is third in wins among managers with a 2,728-2,365 record that also included time with the Chicago White Sox and Oakland. He won World Series titles with the Athletics in 1989 and the Cardinals in 2006 and 11. Cox, who led Atlanta to the 1995 Series title, is fourth in career wins with a 2,504-2,001 record that also included time with Toronto. He led the Braves to 14 straight division titles from 1991-05. Steinbrenner was the New York Yankees owner from 1973 until his death in July 2010, and the team won seven World Series championships, 11 AL pennants and 16 AL East titles during his reign. He appeared on the ballot for the first time that December and received fewer than eight votes. The panel elected former Torronto general manager Pat Gillick, who appeared on 13 of 16 ballots.dddddddddddd Miller, the pioneering head of the players association from 1966-81, died in November 2012 at 95. He will be appearing on a committee ballot for the sixth time. When all Hall of Famers could vote, Miller received 44 per cent in 2003 and 63 per cent in 2007. After the Hall downsized the committee, he received 3 of 12 votes in 2007, 7 of 12 in 2009 and 11 of 16 in December 2010 -- one shy of the required 75 per cent. This years committee includes Hall of Famers Rod Carew, Carlton Fisk, Whitey Herzog, Tom Lasorda, Paul Molitor, Joe Morgan, Phil Niekro and Frank Robinson; Toronto Blue Jays President Paul Beeston; retired club executive Andy MacPhail; Philadelphia Phillies President Dave Montgomery; Chicago White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf; Steve Hirdt of the Elias Sports Bureau; Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle; Baseball Writers Association of American Secretary-Treasurer Jack OConnell; and retired Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporter Jim Reeves. This years ballot, chosen by a BBWAA-appointed historical overview committee, covers baseballs expansion era. Players, managers, umpires, executives whose most significant impact was from 1973 on were considered as part of a three-year cycle. The golden era (1947-72) will be voted on in 2014 and the pre-integration era (1871-1946) will be judged in 2015. Anyone elected will be inducted into the Hall during ceremonies in Cooperstown on July 24 with any players chosen by the BBWAA. Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas are among the newcomers to the BBWAA balloting, which will be announced Jan. 8. 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