
Shock partner for convicted thug's British Open debutant
Ryan Peake, who earnt his spot with victory in the New Zealand Open, will tee off tomorrow as part of a nine-strong Australian contingent.
Being thrown into the best field in world golf for the opening two rounds, could be daunting.
But the former Rebel bikie revealed his chequered past, and his incarceration, proved the catalyst for finding the inspiration to achieve something in his life and he now believed he belonged.
'No, I don't feel self-conscious at all,' Peake said.
'At the end of the day, I put in some hard work to try and get to where we've got to today. So I've earned being here. I've accepted that. So I mean, if this was the biggest tournament, I guess it's going to be the biggest tournament to play for the year.
'But if I didn't have other big events to play in after this year, I'd probably be a little bit more overwhelmed by it all.
'But after this week's done, I'm back to other major Tours as well and got big events ahead as well. This week's a big opportunity, but it's not going to determine the rest of my future either.
'So it's just a great opportunity, a big event that I'm lucky to play in.'
The WA golfer was sentenced to five years imprisonment in 2014 for serious assault when he was just 21, before turning his life around with the aid of renowned golf coach Ritchie Smith and others.
The 31-year-old picked up $302,000 for winning the New Zealand Open after being bogey-free through his final 55 holes to book his spot at Royal Portrush. Ryan Peake will play alongside Phil Mickelson at the British Open. Credit: Angel Martinez / Getty Images
The path to seizing the Claret Jug at this year's Open Championship includes navigating a closing three-hole stretch that begins with a 215m par three named 'Calamity Corner' and labelled one of the toughest holes anywhere.
But it's not an entirely unenviable task for second-timer Elvis Smylie has armed himself with repeat viewings of local lad Shane Lowry's 2019 triumph at the venue to put himself in the best possible position.
Smylie won his way to a second Open Championship by holding off a Cameron Smith challenge at last year's Australian PGA, and winning the Order of Merit, which was a different sort of security to having to qualify for his first appearance.
Knowing his spot was locked a long way out allowed the left-handed Queenslander to start his preparation early, upping his confidence of making the cut at a minimum, having missed the weekend last year.
'I final qualified, I didn't have much time to think about Troon,' Smylie said before heading to Northern Ireland where he played a practice round with Smith.
'But the fact I had cemented my position in the field once I won the Order or Merit, I feel like I've given myself a bit more time to have a look at the official film from 2019, see a bit of the course, and it's made me feel happy knowing I have cemented the position earlier than last year.'
There's a band of usual suspects flying the Australian flag, including 2022 champ Cameron Smith and fellow major champs Adam Scott and resurgent Jason Day, the highest ranked of his compatriots.
But also among the throng is hot and cold Min Woo Lee, journeyman Curtis Luck, LIV guns Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert.
3.57pm - Cameron Smith, Marco Penge, Justin Hastings (a)
4.08pm - Jason Day, Taylor Pendrith, Jacob Skov Olesen
4.19pm - Phil Mickelson, Daniel Van Tonder, Ryan Peake
4.52pm - Darren Clarke, Davis Riley, Lucas Herbert
8.26pm - Stewart Cink, Matteo Manassero, Marc Leishman
9.09pm - Adam Scott, Rickie Fowler, Ethan Fang (a)
9.20pm - Laurie Canter, Elvis Smylie, Sergio Garcia
11.37pm - Russell Henley, Tyrrell Hatton, Min Woo Lee
1.05am (Friday) - Daniel Young, Curtis Luck, Curtis Knipes
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