Arrowtown (New Zealand) (AFP) - Former Australian motorcycle gang member-turned-golfer Ryan Peake, who served a lengthy jail term for assault, produced a “life-changing” maiden win Sunday to qualify for this year’s British Open.
Peake held his nerve for a one-stroke victory at the New Zealand Open, earning him a berth at the major in Portrush, Northern Ireland, in July, pending clearance to travel as a convicted criminal.
The 31-year-old from Perth celebrated animatedly and was showered with champagne by friends on the 18th green of the Millbrook Resort course near Queenstown after a redemption story rarely seen in the refined sport of golf.
Peake held back tears as he admitted a focus on golf had turned his life around – he will now have an expmtion on to the Asian Tour, who co-sanctioned the event with the Australasian Tour.
“Yeah, I’m pretty lost for words at the moment, life-changing,” the heavily tattooed Peake said.
“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 time when I was going to do it.
“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 didn’t contest the tournament, having been initially delayed from entering in New Zealand by immigration officials because of his conviction in 2014 for a serious assault as a 21-year-old.
He was sentenced to five years in prison, the culmination of what he has admitted were a series of bad decisions that had seen him join an outlawed motorcycle gang, the Rebels.
Near the end of his prison stint, he was contacted by Western Australian golf coach Ritchie Smith, who urged Peake to resume what had been a promising career as a junior.
The conviction means Peake needs dispensation to travel to tournaments outside Australia and he only arrived on Tuesday night for a Thursday morning tee-off.
- ‘Monkey of the back’ -
“Just by getting here, I’d kind of already won because it was just like another monkey off the back, getting another stamp on that passport for me,” he said.
After a solid opening round of 67 on Thursday, the left-hander was flawless thereafter as he went 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, a 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 to shoot 72 and finish alone in fifth on 21-under.
A rookie on the Australasian Tour, Peake takes home a winner’s cheque of $201,600 for the winning the event.
He said earning the respect of his peers was just as valuable, appreciating kind words from the players he had just beaten.
“They’ve just shown me so much love and respect, and I’m very grateful for it.
“If I had suggested this at the start of the week, you probably would have laughed at me.”
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