Umfrage » at dreadful record in a first half that they edged

CORK, Ireland -- After months of indecision over who to represent, Rory McIlroy announced Wednesday that he will play for Ireland -- not Britain -- at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The 25-year-old McIlroy, who is from Northern Ireland, was eligible to play for either Ireland or Team GB when golf makes its return to the Olympics in Brazil for the first time since 1904. Having played all of his amateur golf under the auspices of the Dublin-based Golfing Union of Ireland, the two-time major winner opted to stay with Ireland for the Olympics. "I have been thinking about the decision a lot and remembered all the times I represented Ireland as an amateur," McIlroy said on the eve of the Irish Open in Cork. "I was always very proud to put on the Irish uniform and play as an amateur and as a boy, and I would be very proud to do it again." McIlroy has twice played in golfs World Cup for Ireland, both times alongside fellow Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell. "Just because Im getting paid to play this great game now doesnt mean I should change (team)," McIlroy said. "So Im very happy with my decision. It means I can look forward to the Olympics in a couple of years time -- you know, if I qualify, obviously, for the team. "I just thought it was the right thing to do. It was the right time to let everyone know. Now Im really looking forward to Rio in 16." McIlroy announced his decision ahead of next months International Golf Federation meeting that will finalize the eligibility criteria for the 2016 and 2020 Olympics. "Theres no point in delaying it and letting it linger any longer," he said. "Watching the World Cup in Brazil, thinking about Brazil in a couple of years time, it just sort of got me thinking, maybe I should just go ahead and get it out of the way." Still, McIlroy said, winning an Olympic medal would not match winning a major championship. "The majors in our sport are the biggest and best prizes in the game," he said. "But as hopefully golf grows in the Olympics and becomes, say, bigger in four or five games down the line, then it might become bigger." Citizens of Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, can hold both British and Irish citizenship. Most of the Protestant majority is British, most of its Catholic minority Irish. McIlroy, while raised a Catholic, grew up in the predominantly Protestant town of Holywood east of Belfast and once said he considered himself more British than Irish. His 2012 comments -- suggesting he might prefer to join the British team -- provoked strong ill feelings from Irish golf fans. McIlroy initially said he might skip Rio entirely to avoid alienating fans further. Two other top Northern Ireland golfers, Darren Clarke and McDowell, are Protestants who have identified with Ireland. Jarvis Landry Womens Jersey . The 12th-ranked Haas served well throughout the match at the Ibirapuera arena, allowing only one break point to the 152nd-ranked Italian. Both players held serve until the first-set tiebreak, when Haas stepped up his game to easily clinch the set. Jarvis Landry Browns Jersey . With his father watching from the stands, Harrison homered, doubled, single and drove in a career-high five runs to lead the Pirates to a 8-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. http://www.brownsrookiestore.com/Browns-Denzel-Ward-Jersey/ . Still, its a start. Josh Baileys goal with 1:40 left capped a furious third-period rally, and the Islanders edged the Penguins 4-3 on Friday night. Baker Mayfield Jersey . Perhaps their first trip to the city of Winnipeg in 16 years can serve as the shakeup they need. Bernie Kosar Womens Jersey . JOHNS, N.LONDON -- Chelsea scored four goals in the second half to thrash 10-man Tottenham 4-0 and provisionally move seven points clear in the Premier League on Saturday. Jose Mourinhos side was unconvincing before halftime but Samuel Etoo sparked a stunning revival by taking advantage of Jan Vertonghens slip and ill-judged back pass to nip in and score in the 56th minute. Etoo was then felled by Younes Kaboul in the area, earning the defender a straight red card, and Eden Hazard converted the 60th-minute penalty. Substitute Demba Ba completed a crushing win with two late goals in the space of 75 seconds. Chelsea has played a game more than second-placed Liverpool and third-placed Arsenal, who are both seven points adrift and not in league action this weekend. Fourth-placed Manchester City is nine points behind with three games in hand. This was meant to be one of Chelseas toughest matches of its run-in and a win -- coming despite a poor first half -- can only strengthen belief inside Stamford Bridge that the title could be theirs in Mourinhos first season back in charge. Chelsea has Arsenal at home and Liverpool away in its final nine matches; otherwise the schedule looks straightforward. And although City is in striking distance, points on the board are what matter at this stage. Chelsea has had the knack this campaign of winning without necessarily playing well and this was another case in point, taking its unbeaten run in the league to 14 games in the process.dddddddddddd Spurs had drawn or lost on their previous 26 visits to Stamford Bridge, dating back to February 1990 when Gary Lineker scored the winning goal, but they looked in good shape to end that dreadful record in a first half that they edged. Hazard may have missed an open goal in the fifth minute after rounding goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, but most of the action was at the other end where Nabil Bentaleb dragged a shot wide, Sandro had a superb volley saved and Tottenhams fluid midfield caused all sorts of problems. But the visitors failed to make their dominance count and the inevitable happened at the start of the second half -- Chelsea took full advantage. The first goal can be put down to Vertonghens unfortunate slip, although the Belgium defender compounded his error by trying to hook the ball back to Lloris while scrambling on the ground. Etoo intervened and slotted a low finish into the corner. Etoo, who was only playing because Fernando Torres was injured in the warmup, was then bundled into by Kaboul from behind as he latched onto Hazards square ball. Kaboul was shown a straight red card and Hazard rolled home the penalty. From then on, it was damage limitation for Spurs and they resisted until the final two minutes. Ba tucked home a finish after Sandro made a mess of clearing Oscars cross and then Kyle Walkers strange headed backpass was pounced on by Ba, who finished under Lloris. ' ' '