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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." Adidas Benoit-Olivier Groulx Jersey . Toronto announced the deal with the restricted free agent on Saturday. The terms were not disclosed. Adidas Korbinian Holzer Jersey .com) - Thursday marks the official debut of a new dirt racing surface at Meydan Racecourse. http://www.cheapducksjerseys.com/?tag=ad...laughlin-jersey. His second visit, not so much. Roark (7-5) allowed four runs on 10 hits and one walk over six innings in a 7-2 setback in front of several friends and family members, as the Cubs snapped his personal streak of four consecutive victories on Friday. Adidas Ryan Miller Jersey . Not to be outdone, Atletico Madrid bettered its title rivals by demolishing 10-man Getafe 7-0 with Diego Costa returning from injury to score with a brilliant bicycle kick. "It was an almost perfect night," Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. Adidas Rickard Rakell Jersey . While Minnesota takes aim at its eighth win of November, the Canadiens will try to post just their third victory in nine games this month.SAN DIEGO - Yasmani Grandal singled in the winning run with two outs in the 12th inning and the San Diego Padres beat the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 Friday night. Earlier in the inning, the Dodgers used a five-man infield, including a four-man shift against left-handed hitting Seth Smith, all stationed between first and second. With runners on second and third and a 1-1 count to Abraham Almonte, the Dodgers brought in centre fielder Andre Ethier to play first base, with Adrian Gonzalez playing between first and second. Almonte walked. The Dodgers then went to a four-man shift against Smith. He grounded to second baseman Dee Gordon, who forced Amarista at home. Grandal then singled to right on a 3-2 pitch to bring in Solarte with the winning run. Amarista started the winning rally with a single to left off San Diego native Kevin Correia (2-2). Yangervis Solarte walked with one out and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Tim Stauffer (5-2) pitched the 12th for the win. The Dodgers Hanley Ramirez hit a tying homer with one out the eighth and also had an RBI double among his three hits. Justin Turner also had three hits for the Dodgers, the sixth time in his last eight games that hes had multiple hits. With the homer, Ramirez atoned for a painful baserunning slip-up two innings earlier. He hit a 2-1 pitch from Dale Thayer an estimated 390 feet into the middle deck on the Western Metal Supply Co. brick warehouse in the left-field corner to tie it at 2. It was his 13th. Ramirez had a misadventure in the sixth, when he hit a leadoff single and slipped and fell while rounding the bag. He limped back to the bag, but Padres manager Bud Black called for a review. Replay showed that Ramirez was tagged out by Yasmani Grandal as he hopped toward the bag. The Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth before Dee Gordon hit into a force.dddddddddddd San Diegos Andrew Cashner pitched six strong innings but was left with his 10th straight start without a win since his last victory, April 16 against Colorado. Cashner struck out eight and walked none while holding the Dodgers to one run and six hits. He was making his second start since returning from his second stint on the disabled list, a two-month stay due to a sore right shoulder. Dating to June 11, 2013, Cashner has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 15 consecutive home starts. Yasiel Puig didnt start for the Dodgers because manager Don Mattingly felt the outfielder seemed frustrated. Plus, Puig was 1 for 11 with four strikeouts against Cashner. Puig pinch-hit for Dan Haren in the seventh and struck out against Nick Vincent to end the inning. Haren also went six innings, allowing two runs, one earned, and five hits. He struck out three and walked one. Rene Rivera hit a sacrifice fly for San Diego in the second. L.A. tied it on Ramirezs double in the third before San Diego went ahead on Alexi Amaristas RBI single in the fourth. TRAINERS ROOM Dodgers: Manager Don Mattingly said LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu will come off the disabled list and start Sundays series finale. Padres: SS Everth Cabrera, on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring, is feeling better and getting closer to being activated, manager Bud Black said. UP NEXT In the middle game of the series Saturday night, Dodgers RHP Zack Greinke (12-8, 2.75) opposes San Diego RHP Ian Kennedy (10-11, 3.75). On June 12, 2013, Kennedy, then with Arizona, was one of six players and coaches ejected after a brawl with the Dodgers. Kennedy hit Yasiel Puig and Greinke with high pitches. ' ' '