Leading by two strokes in the final round of the 1934 US Open, Cruickshank came to the 11th hole at Merion Cricket Club, its green guarded by the Baffling Brook. His approach shot came up short, but hit a rock in the creek and bounded up onto the green. Elated and relieved, Cruickshank threw his club in the air – then staggered and fell as it came straight down and hit him on the head. He recovered enough to par the hole, but a string of bogeys followed and he wound up losing by two shots.