Former Australian motorcycle gang member Ryan Peake, who served a lengthy prison sentence for assault, produced a “life-changing” victory in New Zealand on Sunday to qualify for this year’s British Open....Read Full Article >>➤
Peake held his nerve to claim a maiden one-shot victory at the New Zealand Open, earning him a place at the major in Portrush, Northern Ireland, in July—pending clearance to travel as a convicted criminal.
The 31-year-old from Perth celebrated exuberantly and was showered with champagne by friends on the 18th green at Millbrook Resort, near Queenstown, after completing a redemption story rarely seen in the refined sport of golf. Peake held back tears as he admitted that focusing on golf had transformed his life.
“Yeah, I’m pretty lost for words at the moment—life-changing,” said the tattooed Peake.
“It’s one hell of a story, one hell of a moment. Just belief. I always knew I could do it; it was just a matter of when.
“This is what I do now. I want to be here and just play golf. The story is what it is, but I’m just out here playing golf.”
Peake nearly missed the tournament after being initially delayed from entering New Zealand by immigration officials due to his conviction for a serious assault when he was 21.
He was sentenced to five years in prison—the culmination of what he has admitted were a series of bad decisions that led him to join the outlawed motorcycle gang, the Rebels.
His conviction means he requires special permission to travel for tournaments outside Australia.
Peake only arrived on Tuesday night for a Thursday morning tee-off at the Australasian and Asian Tour co-sanctioned event.
After a solid opening round of 67 on Thursday, the left-hander was flawless thereafter, going bogey-free over the final three rounds of 64, 64, and 66 to climb through the field and finish on 23-under.
A birdie on the par-five 17th lifted Peake out of a four-way tie on 22-under before a clutch seven-foot putt for par sealed victory, finishing one stroke clear of compatriot Jack Thompson, South African Ian Snyman, and Japan’s Kazuki Higa.
The big-hitter had begun the final round alone in second place, four shots behind South Korean Koh Gun-taek, who faltered over the back nine, shooting 72 to finish alone in fifth on 21-under.
A rookie on the Australasian Tour, Peake takes home a winner’s cheque of $201,600 for winning the event, which was co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
Leading scores after the final round of the Asian and Australasian Tour’s co-sanctioned New Zealand Open on Sunday (par 71):
261 – Ryan Peake (AUS) 67-64-64-66
262 – Jack Thompson (AUS) 69-64-66-63, Ian Snyman (RSA) 66-65-65-66, Kazuki Higa (JPN) 65-69-62-66
263 – Koh Gun-taek (KOR) 64-61-66-72
264 – Bobby Bai (CHN) 65-64-67-68
265 – John Catlin (USA) 67-64-70-64
266 – Taichi Kho (HKG) 69-66-67-64, Dylan Gardner (AUS) 67-68-65-66, James Marchesani (AUS) 63-65-70-68, Elvis Smylie (AUS) 66-66-65-69
AFP
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