Ex convict Ryan Peake in Open dreamland as former bike gang member gets hero Phil Mickelson's autograph
Ryan Peake transformed from convicted jailbird to innocent child-like autograph hunter as he starred alongside Phil Mickelson at The Open.
The Australian completed a five-year sentence for serious assault at Hakea Prison in 2019 when Royal Portrush last staged The Championship.
Peake was in an outlawed motorcycle gang having fallen out of love with golf and ended up doing time.
However, having won the New Zealand Open to make it to Northern Ireland, he was just like the kids at the course as he grabbed gifts from Lefty.
Peake said: 'It was pretty good. I just asked for his golf ball and got him to sign a golf glove for me after. He just introduced himself, which I don't think he needs to introduce himself. I was well aware of who he was. But obviously I was nervous.
' I wouldn't say nervous because I was playing next to Phil. It's just, I guess, your first major and things like that. But I've just got to get better at that, and I've got to be better at that. No, he wasn't offering me help. I would have known I was in a bad place if he'd come over and started offering me help.
'But we chatted. He's very friendly. We just had a lot of normal chitchat, talked about family. We talked about different things. Nothing in particular.
'I grabbed his putter off him a few times and had a little feel of it. That's the OG. That's the one from the Masters. There was a couple cool things.
"Like I said, his caddie gave away golf balls as we were walking off the tee and I yelled out: What about me?
'He had a laugh, thought I was being sarcastic, and he said: Are you serious? And I said: I'm deadly serious. I said: Can you sign a glove as well? He's your hero growing up. My own boy is out here this week and he loves him as well. I'm not going to ask him on the first tee, but I'll ask him after the round.'
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