KYLE BUSCH CAUSE OF DEATH REVEALED

NASCAR Legend Kyle Busch Cause of Death Revealed

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NASCAR legend Kyle Busch died from severe pneumonia, which progressed into sepsis ... TMZ has confirmed.

According to a statement from Kyle's family, he passed away "after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications."

As we reported ... Kyle died Thursday after being hospitalized with a severe illness.

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Before being taken to the hospital, Kyle was in a North Carolina racing simulator Wednesday when he reportedly became unresponsive. TMZ Sports obtained audio from the 911 call ... where someone told dispatch the patient was "coughing up some blood" at the NC training facility while looking like they were going to pass out.

Kyle's death came 11 days after a NASCAR Cup Series race in which he radioed to his crew and asked for a doctor to give him a "shot" after he finished the race.

On TV, they noted Kyle had been battling some sort of sinus cold that was made worse by the intense G-forces and elevation changes at New York's Watkins Glen course. That race was on May 10.

Despite the health issue, Kyle kept competing ... winning a Truck Series race on May 15 and then competing in the NASCAR All-Star Race on May 17, just four days before his death.

Kyle was 41.

RIP

- TMZ Sports

VSU VS. NORTH CAROLINA | CONDENSED GAME

 

CLEMSON TIGERS VS. NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS | COLLEGE BASKETBALL 🏀

 

SYRACUSE ORANGE VS. NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS | COLLEGE BASKETBALL 🏀 HIGHLIGHTS

 

EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT THE AIR JORDAN 10 "UNC" PLAYER EXCLUSIVE

Image via UNC Basketball

The Air Jordan 10 "UNC" PE surfaces in images that highlight the rare player exclusive and its Chapel Hill inspired design.

The Air Jordan 10 "UNC" PE returns to the spotlight with a new set of images that show why this pair sits in a special tier. The silhouette has always carried a different kind of weight in Jordan history.

The sneaker represents a moment when Michael stepped away from the game, yet the design still honored his legacy. That story gives every PE extra meaning, especially when it ties back to his North Carolina roots. UNC pairs always hit a nostalgic nerve.

The colors connect two eras of Michael’s life. They call back to his time in Chapel Hill while still sitting firmly in the Jumpman lineage. That mix gives any UNC themed model a clean sense of identity.

The Air Jordan 10 adds another layer, since the shoe represents a chapter built on milestones and reflection. Player exclusives remain a rare item as only athletes and insiders tend to see pairs like this in person.

That scarcity fuels the energy behind every "UNC" PE reveal. New photos of this Air Jordan 10 show why that excitement never fades. The suede hits look bold under the arena lights.

The classic Jumpman branding sharpens the look even more. The images above capture all of these details and remind everyone why UNC themed PEs always command attention.

This Air Jordan 10 "UNC" PE uses a mix of white leather and carolina blue suede. The upper features crisp black accents along the collar and tongue.

The mudguard and midsole use black to anchor the bright colors. Also, the outsole carries alternating blue and black stripes. The lateral side features a white stitched Jumpman.

The heel liner comes in soft blue fabric. Further the tongue tag uses a black base with a silver Jumpman. The inner pull tab helps finish the clean build. Every detail stays consistent with UNC’s signature palette.

- BEN ATKINSON

'IT'S A JOKE': CHELSEA BOSS ENZO MARESCA RAGES AT TWO-HOUR WEATHER DELAY AT CLUB WORLD CUP

Chelsea required almost five hours to beat Benfica after a storm warming in North Carolina

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca called the two-hour weather delay that disrupted his team’s Club World Cup win over Benfica as a “joke” and “not football”.

The Blues eventually defeated Benfica 4-1 in extra-time to reach the quarter-finals but the match took four hours and 39 minutes to complete after a storm warming in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Chelsea were leading 1-0 when players were asked to leave the pitch. Both teams were taken back inside and were pictured riding exercise bikes and kicking balls in the dressing room during the interruption.

It was the sixth time at the Club World Cup that a game had been stopped because of a storm or lightning warning and Maresca went as far to suggest the United States was not a suitable host.

Games at the inaugural 32-team tournament are being played across the US, which co-hosts the men’s World Cup next year, and other stoppages have taken place in Orlando, Cincinnati and New Jersey.

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"For me personally, it's not football," Maresca told a press conference at around 2am local time in Charlotte. "I think it's a joke. It's not football.

"I can understand that for security reasons, you have to suspend the game. But if you suspend seven or eight games, that means that probably this is not the right place to do this competition.

"It's a fantastic competition. It's the Club World Cup, all the best clubs are here," he added.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca celebrates after full time (Getty Images)

"But six, seven games suspended? It's not normal. In a World Cup how many have they suspended? Probably zero. In a European (championship), how many games? Zero. There is some problem."

Maresca’s side had appeared set for the last eight after Reece James’s free kick had given them a second-half lead in Charlotte, only for the game to be halted four minutes from time due to lightning in the area.

A long pause disrupted their rhythm and allowed Benfica to equalise from the penalty spot late on, Angel Di Maria cool and calm from 12 yards after Malo Gusto had handled.

But Benfica were rocked moments into extra time by the sending off of Gianluca Prestianni for a second bookable offence, and Chelsea eventually romped home, goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall adding gloss to the result as the Portuguese side wilted late on. Chelsea will face Palmeiras, who earlier edged fellow Brazilian club Botafogo, in the last eight in Philadelphia on Friday.

"The game was very good for 85 minutes, then we stopped for two hours, and when we started it was a completely different game. It's not the same game because you break the tempo," Maresca said.

- Jamie Braidwood

10-MAN REAL MADRID DEFEAT PACHUCA FOR FIRST WIN OF CLUB WORLD CUP

Subscription Customers Only] Jun 22, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Real Madrid defender Gonzalo Garcia (20) in action with Pachuca defender Federico Pereira (16) during a group stage match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Susana Vera-Reuters via Imagn Images

Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler scored late in the first half to help 10-man Real Madrid to a 3-1 victory over CF Pachuca in a Group H clash played amid sweltering conditions Sunday in Charlotte, N.C.

Federico Valverde's sliding volley in the 70th minute sealed Xabi Alonso's first victory as Madrid manager. The result puts his side's FIFA Club World Cup campaign back on track after a dramatic 1-1 draw against Al-Hilal in Wednesday's opener, and despite Sunday's early dismissal of defender Raul Asencio.

Real Madrid (1-0-1, 4 points) can clinch a place in the last 16 with a win or draw against RB Salzburg on Thursday in Philadelphia. Al-Hilal play Salzburg later Sunday in Washington.

Thibault Courtois made 10 saves for the victors, though he could do little on Elias Montiel's 80th-minute deflected effort that provided Pachuca (0-2-0, 0 points) consolation.

The Mexican side was eliminated despite leading its Spanish foes 25-8 edge in shots overall and 11-3 in efforts on target. But as in Pachuca's 2-1 Wednesday loss to Salzburg, it was their opponents who had more quality in their attacks.

Head referee Ramon Abatti Abel showed no hesitation in dismissing Asencio in the seventh minute for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity after the Madrid defender hauled down Salomon Rondon just beyond the penalty area.

But after absorbing pressure for most of the opening half-hour, the Spaniards raced out to a 2-0 lead in the half's final 15 minutes.

In the 35th, Gonzalo Garcia's quick flick-on freed Fran Garcia down the left. The latter then picked out the late run of Bellingham, who collected a square ball and slid his low finish past Carlos Moreno from 15 yards.

In the 43rd, it was Guler providing the finishing touch from inside the area on another flowing Madrid move, this time with Gonzalo Garcia providing the final square pass after Trent Alexander-Arnold's first-touch cross.

Pachuca continued to apply pressure after the break, with Courtois forced to push Bryan Gonzalez's early-second half effort over the bar and John Kennedy's 61st-minute strike from distance well clear of his left post.

- FIELD LEVEL MEDIA

OLE MISS VS. NORTH CAROLINA

NORTH CAROLINA VS. SAN DIEGO STATE | FIRST FOUR | MARCH MADNESS 2025

 

A. FUNERAL AND A REUNION IN 24 HOURS: THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF SYRACUSE'S 1975 FINAL FOUR TEAM MEANT A LITTLE MORE RUDY HACKETT

Rudy Hackett waves to the crowd during a ceremony in honor of Syracuse's 1975 Final Four team at halftime of the Orange's game against Boston College on Saturday at the JMA Wireless Dome. (N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com) N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com

Syracuse, N.Y. – You get to a certain age and the occasions are rare when you get to reunite with old classmates or the friends of your youth. Most often those occasions are reunions and funerals.

Rudy Hackett experienced both this past weekend.

Hackett, the former Syracuse basketball star, returned to Syracuse University on Saturday along with several of his teammates off the 1974-75 team. On the 50th anniversary of their Final Four appearance, the first in SU basketball history, the ‘75 team’s coaches and players were recognized at halftime of Syracuse’s game against Boston College at the JMA Wireless Dome.

But before Hackett walked onto the dome’s court to the cheers of Syracuse fans, many of whom weren’t alive when he and his teammates knocked off LaSalle, North Carolina and Kansas State to punch their ticket to the 1975 Final Four, he had another occasion to see old friends.

Syracuse’s most forgotten team celebrates 50th anniversary of 1975 Final Four

A funeral for a former teammate.

On Friday, Hackett traveled back to his childhood home of Mt. Vernon, New York, to pay his respects to Gus Williams, the former NBA player who had teamed up with Hackett at Mt. Vernon High School.

A funeral and a reunion less than 24 hours apart.

“Last night at that funeral, there were so many people there that I grew up with that I would probably never see again in my life,’’ Hackett said Saturday. “They were part of my life. Part of that growing up part of my life and Gus’s life. And you wonder, why does it take death for us to have that opportunity to say ‘Thank you’ to each other?’’

Syracuse's 1974-1975 team was honored on the 50th anniversary of their Final Four appearance at halftime of Saturday's game at the JMA Wireless Dome. N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.comN. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com

After high school, Hackett went to Syracuse, while Williams went cross-country to the University of Southern California. They were both taken in the NBA’s draft in 1975. Hackett spent two years in the NBA. Williams would be a two-time NBA All-Star and part of Seattle’s 1979 championship team.

“His funeral made me realize that people really do appreciate what you did in your life,’’ Hackett said. “We should thank those people while they’re still alive and we’re still alive.’’

Less than 24 hours later, Hackett had that opportunity.

He got to see his former coach, Roy Danforth, now 89 years old and still wielding a sharp sense of humor. In talking about the 1975 team, Danforth jabbed at then-freshman Marty Byrnes: “Marty always said if I had played him more, we would have won the whole thing.’’

In addition to Danforth, there were eight other players from the 1975 team present at Saturday’s game, along with assistant coach Tom Green.

“We came up here tonight to celebrate our team,’’ Hackett said. “A lot of us are getting up in age. We don’t even know when we’ll all be together again in this large of a group. A lot of us are having those thoughts. Will we be able to ever do this again?’’

In the days leading up to Saturday’s game, Hackett and a few of his teammates wondered how many in the crowd would remember them.

But as they were introduced during the halftime ceremony, the fans responded with a standing ovation that clearly meant a lot to the group.

“I appreciate the love that we’re getting through all this,’’ Hackett said. “But it wasn’t so much them thanking us as it was us thanking them. We appreciate them and the fans that supported back when we were playing at Syracuse.’’

Although it’s been 50 years since Hackett and his teammates pulled off three straight heart-stopping wins on the way to the Final Four in San Diego, only two members of that team, Larry Arrington and Bob Parker, have died.

Some members of the ‘75 team live in the Syracuse area, including Jim Lee, Chris Sease, Steve Shaw and Kevin King. Jim Williams, the little point guard, lives in his hometown of Buffalo.

Byrnes, who nearly died of Covid during the pandemic’s out-break back in 2020, came from Wisconsin. Earnie Seibert, the starting center on the ‘75 team, couldn’t make it due to a medical procedure, but his daughter Erica stepped in for his father.

“I was struck that after 50 years, we still had so many guys here,’’ Hackett said.

Roy Danforth,the head coach of Syracuse's 1975 Final Four team, waves to the crowd during the halftime ceremony in honor of the team. (N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com)N. Scott Trimble | strimble@syracuse.com

So on Saturday, after watching the current Orange down Boston College in a triple-overtime thriller, Hackett and his teammates gathered privately at the Hotel Syracuse’s Eleven Waters restaurant.

They ate a lot. Drank a little. Shared stories. Speeches were made. Some long. Some short. Some, like Bill DeMarle’s, were hilarious.

No one seemed to want to leave even as the snow blanketed the streets of downtown Syracuse.

“Seeing the team and being together,’’ Hackett said. “It reminds me of the love that we had for each other and how we developed as a team. We would like that to be our legacy too; not only is individuals, but as a team.’’

A funeral and a reunion all in 24 hours.

“We celebrated Gus’s life yesterday,’’ Hackett said. “Yeah, it was sad, but it was a celebration, too. We celebrated life again today. You realize how special these times are and you appreciate being able to spend time again with those special people.’’

- Mike Waters

BILL BELICHICK REACHES 5-YEAR DEAL TO COACH NORTH CAROLINA

In one of the most stunning and compelling moves in college football history, six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick was named the new head coach at North Carolina on Wednesday night.

UNC officials said the sides agreed to a five-year deal pending approval by the board of trustees, which is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting Thursday.

Belichick, 72, worked in the NFL in some capacity from 1975 until his divorce from the New England Patriots after the 2023 season. This will be his first college coaching job.

Belichick's father, Steve, served as an assistant coach for the Tar Heels from 1953 to 1955.

"I grew up around college football with my dad and treasured those times," Belichick said as part of a release announcing the move. "I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill."

Belichick's hiring at North Carolina, which hasn't won an ACC football title since 1980, was spearheaded by board chair John P. Preyer, who had homed in on Belichick in recent weeks. Sources told ESPN that the sides met multiple times at length, including for five hours Sunday, and those talks culminated with Belichick finalizing the deal Wednesday.

For a program awash in apathy and mediocrity, this marks a distinct and compelling shift from Mack Brown, as Belichick gives the Tar Heels an unprecedented jolt of star power for 2025 and beyond.

Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham said hiring Belichick positions the program well amid the changing landscape of college sports.

"Bill Belichick is a football legend and hiring him to lead our program represents a new approach that will ensure Carolina Football can evolve, compete and win -- today and in the future," Cunningham said in the school's news release. "At Carolina, we believe in providing championship opportunities and the best experience possible for our student-athletes, and Coach Belichick shares that commitment."

Michael Lombardi, a former NFL executive who also was an assistant under Belichick with the Patriots from 2014 to 2016, said Wednesday night he would serve as the general manager of the Tar Heels' program.

The Patriots' six Super Bowls under Belichick are an NFL record. (He won two more as an assistant coach with the New York Giants.) He enters college football with 333 NFL wins, behind only Don Shula's record of 347.

North Carolina fired Brown, 73, on Nov. 26 after a 6-6 season, ending his second stint at the school with a 44-33 record over six years. He coached the Tar Heels' regular-season finale, a 35-30 loss to NC State, then said it was a "great time for me to get out."

The hiring of the famously aloof Belichick, who joked Monday on "The Pat McAfee Show" about his news conference aura, represents a significant shift from Brown's syrupy Southern charm.

Belichick has spent his year away from the sideline doing multiple media jobs while making it clear he wanted to return to coaching. After exploring multiple NFL positions last year following his departure from New England, it was expected Belichick would explore the NFL market again.

But sources told ESPN that a return to coaching in general had been paramount for Belichick. He spent a lot of time around his former assistant, Washington Huskies coach Jedd Fisch, and talking to friends and former assistant coaches around college football. Belichick's son Stephen is the Huskies' defensive coordinator and is expected to be involved with the North Carolina staff in some way.

At 72 years old, Bill Belichick is now the oldest head coach in the FBS. The previous oldest entering this season was Mack Brown (73), whom Belichick is succeeding at North Carolina:

Through the NFL draft every year, Belichick has built up a reserve of college coach confidants, and he has popped up at places such as Washington, Rutgers and LSU this year for college games.

Belichick also spent recent days familiarizing himself with the transfer portal and NIL, and he spent a lot of time on how the organizational chart of a college system would work.

He made it clear in his interview with McAfee on Monday that he would create an incubator for NFL talent if he were a college coach.

"If I was in a college program, the college program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players that had the ability to play in the NFL," Belichick said. "It would be a professional program: training, nutrition, scheme, coaching and techniques that would transfer to the NFL."

He concluded a lengthy portrait of what the program would look like by saying: "It would be an NFL program, but not at the NFL level."

If talks between Belichick and North Carolina had broken down, Cleveland Browns passing game specialist and tight ends coach Tommy Rees was considered the favorite to land the Tar Heels job, league sources told ESPN. Rees interviewed for the job twice, and he had Nick Saban as an advocate.

Other names that had emerged in the search included veteran NFL coach Steve Wilks, Tulane coach Jon Sumrall, Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann, Army coach Jeff Monken and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

Smith indicated he would stay with the Steelers, and Tulane reached an agreement in principle with Sumrall on a contract extension.

- Pete Thamel, Adam Schefter, Chris Low

URUGUAY'S MARCELO BIELSA RIPS U.S., COPA AMÉRICA ORGANIZERS AFTER FIGHT

Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa angrily defended his players following clashes at the end of their semifinal loss to Colombia. Omar Vega/Getty Images

 Uruguay head coach Marcelo Bielsa defended his players' involvement in clashes with Colombia fans following their Copa América semifinal match at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, before criticizing the U.S. and CONMEBOL over the organization of the competition.

Following Uruguay's semifinal loss, players could be seen climbing into the stands to fight with opposing fans. Darwin Núñez and Ronaldo Araújo were among those involved, while captain José María Giménez said the players were simply trying to defend family members.

However, South America soccer's governing body, CONMEBOL, has announced an investigation into the incidents, which also saw players from Colombia and Uruguay involved in a confrontation on the field after the final whistle.

"One has to speak thinking about all the threats he will receive if he speaks," an angry Bielsa said in a prematch news conference on Friday. "So, the only thing I can tell you is that the players reacted the same way any human being would.

"If you see what happened happen and there's [no other process to escape] and they are attacking their girlfriends, their mothers, a baby, their wives, their mothers -- what would you do?"

The former Leeds United manager went on to attack media coverage of the incidents.

"Are you asking if there's going to be sanctions to the ones that went to defend?" he said. "It's a level of complicity, because the questions also act as a way to accomplice, I don't know if all of you think the same way, if the question you ask wouldn't be made by someone else, but this is what you journalists should be saying, not what I should be saying, with the risk of opening my mouth.

"When you see that there's an overreaction, when you see a violent action, of course no one is going to be in favor of a violent reaction. But the first thing you have to see is what are they reacting to? And if there was any other way to do it differently, and you all know this, but you want us on this side to open our mouths about it so it's not you who point what happened and then are affected in any way."

Bielsa said that his players were owed apologies, adding that "we are in the United States, the country of security."

The Uruguayan football association (AUF) also said there was a lack of security in the stands which led to "an unjustified but humanly understandable reaction" by the players.

"This event took place in a context in which the proportion of Uruguayan fans was very small. Most of them were families, and there were insufficient security measures in place," the AUF said in a statement.

"Given these facts, the players' behaviour was inevitable and natural," it said, adding though that it "strongly condemned" their aggression.

The coach went on to criticize CONMEBOL and the U.S. over the organization of the tournament, specifically calling out the lack of security and the conditions of the fields at stadiums regularly used by NFL teams.

Argentina, which will face Colombia in Sunday's final, slammed the conditions of the field at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the tournament's opening game.

"They knew seven months ago that we'd play here and they changed the field two days ago," Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said following that game. "It's not an excuse, but this isn't a good field. Sincerely, the field is not apt for these players."

CONMEBOL defended the conditions of the fields following the criticism, saying that the process of installing the temporary pitches for Copa América started a year ago and that "aesthetics can give the wrong perception."

- Lizzy Becherano

COLOMBIA REACH COPA AMÉRICA FINAL WITH WIN OVER URUGUAY

James Rodríguez was again Colombia's inspiration in their semifinal win over Uruguay.
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images

 James Rodríguez served up his sixth assist of the tournament to help 10-man Colombia beat Uruguay 1-0 in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Wednesday to set up a Copa América final against Argentina.

Argentina beat Canada 2-0 in the first semifinal on Tuesday to book their place in Sunday's final in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Victory for Colombia Wednesday meant they extended their unbeaten run to a team-record 28 games, dating back to a loss to Argentina in February 2022.

In a contentious match that included seven yellow cards and one red, players from both teams pushed and shoved in a scrum on the field at the final whistle and some players went into the stands to scrap with fans.

Jefferson Lerma scored the only goal of the game in front of a fervent and overwhelmingly pro-Colombia crowd at Bank of America Stadium when he headed in a deep corner from James in the 39th minute.

James becomes the first South American player with six assists at a single major tournament since Pelé for Brazil at the 1970 World Cup.

Colombia's task of maintaining their advantage was complicated when defender Daniel Muñoz was sent off in first-half stoppage time after receiving a second yellow card for swinging an elbow at Uruguay's Manuel Ugarte.

Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez failed to take advantage of multiple opportunities, and substitute Luis Suárez, Uruguay's career leader with 68 goals, hit the outside of a post with a shot in the 71st as Uruguay failed to find a breakthrough against the 10 men.

Colombia's Mateus Uribe, another second-half sub, put an open shot wide in the 88th, and Uribe's open shot in the fourth minute of stoppage time ricocheted off the body of sliding goalkeeper Sergio Rochet and then the crossbar.

But one goal proved enough for Colombia to reach their third Copa América final and first since 2001.

The match was played in 90-degree heat on a surface that was converted from artificial turf to grass in the weeks leading up the game.

Argentina are seeking a record 16th Copa América title and are looking to join Spain as the only countries to win three straight major titles.

Uruguay will play Canada a day earlier in the third-place playoff on Saturday.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

- ESPN

DECHAMBEAU WINS US OPEN AS MCILROY'S MAJOR MISERY CONTINUES

USA TODAY Sports 

 Bryson DeChambeau came out on top in a dramatic final round, back nine battle with Rory McIlroy to win the U.S. Open by one shot on Sunday as the Northern Irishman's major misery continued at Pinehurst resort in North Carolina.

Poised to end a decade long major drought, McIlroy collapsed at the finish with bogey's on three of his final four holes, including a heart-breaker at the 18th where he missed from inside four feet.

At the same time, playing in the final pair, DeChambeau sent his tee shot into the rough but held his nerve with a brilliant up and down to save par for a final round one-over 71.

That was good enough to earn the LIV Golf standard bearer a heart-stopping victory with a six-under 274 winning total.

"Oh, man, I didn't want to finish second again," said DeChambeau, runner-up at last month's PGA Championship. "PGA really stung.

"As much as it is heartbreaking for some people, it was heartbreak for me at the PGA. I really wanted this one.

"When I turned the corner and saw I was a couple back, I said, nope, I'm not going to let that happen.

"I was a little lucky. Rory didn't make a couple putts that he could have coming in.

"I had an amazing up-and-down on the last.

"I don't know what else to say. It's a dream come true."

McIlroy had a final round 69 to finish alone in second one ahead of Americans Patrick Cantlay (70) and Tony Finau (67).

It was the second career major win for DeChambeau, his first coming at the 2020 U.S. Open.

The 30-year-old American started the day at the top of the leaderboard three clear of the chasing pack that included McIlroy but trailed the world number three by two with five holes to play.

"Ultimately on 13, I knew I had to make birdie there to give myself a chance because Rory was going on a heater," said DeChambeau, who collected is last birdie of the day at 13. "He (McIlroy) slipped up a couple on the way coming in, and I just kept staying the course."

DeChambeau had looked headed for another second place until McIlroy's sudden collapse.

McIlroy had used a red hot putter to snatch the lead, but with the finish line in sight, suddenly went cold on the greens missing from 30 inches at the 16th and from inside four-feet at 18 leaving the Northern Irishman shellshocked as he walked off the course and quickly into his car putting the disaster in his rearview mirror.

The U.S. Open thriller showcased golf's best providing fans something they have been regularly denied since the sport split into two camps with the PGA Tour on one side and Saudi-backed rebel circuit LIV Golf on the other.

The final round on a tricky Pinehurst No. 2 layout featured two of the game's more intriguing personalities with McIlroy, long one of golf's most popular players and the big-hitting DeChambeau one of the most entertaining.

Along with the silver trophy, a record $4.3 million winner's purse golf bragging rights were also on the line with a LIV golfer again claiming a major title.

"I hope this can bridge the gap between a divided game," said DeChambeau. "All I want to do is entertain and do my best for the game of golf, execute and provide some awesome entertainment for the fans.

"From at least what I can tell, that's what the fans want, and they deserve that.

"Let bygones be bygones and go figure it out."

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