It is absolutely hammering it down in Hoylake now, and I'm sure this is going to cause some controversy - without the two-tee start today, Rory McIlroy would have still been on his front nine, splashing his way through the stair rods. And with that, I'm off.

Leader Rory McIlroy talking to BBC One after a 68 gives him a six-shot lead on -16: "Rickie Fowler was getting close to me. I knew if I could hit good drives on 16 and 18 I would have a good chance of birdie, I didn't expect to hit eagles but there you go. It is a good thing I have experienced this before, good and bad. Hopefully some of that experience I can take into tomorrow.

" I got off the course yesterday and it felt like I was on the course straight away, I didn't have time to think about it or dwell on it."

Mark James
Former Ryder Cup captain on BBC TV

"Rory has over powered it and taken a lot of bunkers out of play. He has had to hit driver to pretty small targets and that is not easy. He hits it 330 yards and straight down the middle. You can't play chess against someone with a machine gun."

Iain Carter
BBC golf correspondent at Hoylake

Image source, AFP

"You can't help but be impressed, can you? This is going to go down as one of the all-time great performances, just like Martin Kaymer at Pinehurst. It's like he's saying: 'Anything you can do, I can do just as well.'"

More from Rory McIlroy on BBC One: "I didn't get off to the best of starts yesterday either. The big par save on seven was a big momentum keeper. It has been advantageous to take the driver out on the tees and gives me a big advantage over some of the field.

"It was a great back nine and I am proud of how I stayed patient. Rickie Fowler and myself have known each other for a long time and are now neighbours in Florida. It will be quite a comfortable grouping for both of us and hopefully we both play well.

"I will go to the gym after this and then take it easy, have a nice dinner and try and get some sleep."

Charles Nurick on Twitter:, external Fingers crossed we don't see another Augusta-like meltdown from McIlroy. Think he's mature enough now to see this one out.

Tom Collins:, external That might be my last ever bet on Tiger Woods, was such a great player, but he's well past his best now.

Image source, AFP

Rory McIlroy says he's not home and dry despite a mammoth six-shot lead: "I won from seven back at Wentworth so I know how leads can go away," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I feel good, I've been in this position before. Hopefully I'll handle it well. I'll treat it like I did at Congressional (2011 US Open) and how I did at Kiawah Island (2012 US PGA Championship, his second major title). My game plan all week has been to take care of the par fives and I want to do that again tomorrow."

Image source, AP

Sergio Garcia talking to BBC One after a 69 takes him to nine under and third place: "I am a little bit disappointed the way I played the last two holes. Other than that I played quite solid for most of the day. I would love to have score a little bit lower but unfortunately not.

"You never know, you will see what kind of day tomorrow is. It is never easy being in the position of leader, Rory is a great player but you never know, anything can happen.

"You have to be comfortable with what you do, you can't just attack everything because you are not going to hit good shots. You have to attack where you feel comfortable attacking."

Image source, AP

Rickie Fowler talking to BBC One after a 68 leaves him at 10 under for the championship and in second place behind Rory McIlroy:

"I was really prepared to hit every shot, but made a couple of loose swings off the tee. The loose swings cost me and there is room for improvement on the home stretch.

"There is a fine line, so much can happen so quickly. I was six back going in to today, if I can get off to a good start and put pressure on, there is still a lot of golf to be played. Being alongside Rory is an advantage tomorrow. We are going to have a good time, if I can put pressure on and make him earn it and see if we can get myself in the mix."

Andrew Murray
Former European Tour player on BBC Radio 5 live

"Garcia's always got a 65 in him and Dustin has already shot one."

There you have it lads. Shoot low tomorrow and hope Rory McIlroy has a 2011 Masters-esque collapse.

Ken Brown
BBC Sport commentator

"What is exciting about Rory is he chases flags. He didn't need to but he did it in the last few holes. It spread eagles the field. He has got a bit of a cushion."

David Leadbetter
Leading golf coach on BBC Radio 5 live

"Rory looks like he's floating down the fairway, it's so serene, so easy. When Tiger won at Pebble Beach by 15 shots, I get that kind of feeling here. He's the new Tiger of golf.

"This course lends itself to his kind of golf. I don't know what the odds on him to not win would be but they must be tremendous. Gary Player used to say there's no safe lead in golf. But he's playing so well you'd have to say the Claret Jug is already in his hands."

Mark James
Former Ryder Cup captain on BBC TV

"Rory McIlroy looked nervous on the first tee. It took him while to get warmed up, and he didn't start to flow until later, but it shows how much he has got in his tank when he takes that long to get going."

I'm told that nobody has ever blown a five-shot lead heading into the final round of the Open and McIlroy would be the first wire-to-wire winner at the Open since Tiger in 2005 and only the seventh ever. A round of 68 on Sunday would break Tiger's Open record of 19 under par, set in 2000.

Ken Brown
BBC Sport commentator

"The two-tee start has worked out well, but it was a big advantage for Rory. He didn't have to wait around, which can be horrible The ingredients were perfect for Rory - and as he walked out on the first tee the rain stopped."

Image source, Getty Images

Greg Norman's winning score of 267 at Royal St George's in 1993 is the lowest score shot at The Open. The 'Great White Shark' hit rounds of 66, 68, 69 and 64. A 66 from McIlroy tomorrow would set a new mark.

Nick Comber on Twitter:, external ‏Too good from Rory. Only one winner of the Open now.

Few, if any, would disagree. Does anyone stand a chance? Tweet your views using #bbcgolf, via text on 81111 or using our Facebook, external and Google +, external pages.

That's the biggest lead at the third-round stage since Tiger Woods at St Andrews in 2000. Woods eventually won by eight shots. It would be nice if somebody made a charge tomorrow, at least made things interesting, but with clement weather expected, McIlroy's got this tournament on toast.

Selected others: -5: Darren Clarke (NI), Graeme McDowell (NI), Jimmy Walker (USA), Adam Scott (Aus), Justin Rose (Eng); -4: Stephen Gallacher (Sco), David Howell (Eng); -3; Shane Lowry (Ire), Jordan Spieth (USA); -1: Phil Mickelson (USA); +1: Luke Donald (Eng); +2: Paul Casey, Henrik Stenson (Swe); +3: Tiger Woods (USA); +5: Tom Watson (USA)

McIlroy has had eight single putts in this round... make that nine, he's nailed his eagle chance, his second in three holes. McIlroy finishes with a round of 68 for 16 under overall and a lead of six shots. Bar a total meltdown on day four, Rory's pouched his first Claret Jug. Birdie for Johnson, a round of 71 and tied for third on nine under.