NZ Open winner takes a good Peake through an Open door
Of all the benefits that came with former bikie Ryan Peake's "life-changing" win in the New Zealand Open, one stood out above all - a guaranteed start in the 2025 British Open at storied Royal Portrush.
The burly left-hander reckons he has the game to make a real success of it.
Astonishingly, Peake did not card a single bogey in his final 55 holes at Millbrook Resort, despite never having clapped eyes on the 36-hole layout until the practice round on Wednesday.
And it's not as though he drove it down the middle all the time either.
A worthy celebration for our champion 🎊📸 @PhotosportNZ#NZOpen pic.twitter.com/HpoYUPR0Mr
— New Zealand Open (@NZOpenGolf) March 2, 2025
The 31-year-old hit only three of 14 fairways on Saturday, and missed plenty on Sunday too.
But such was the quality of his iron-play, short game and putting that he shot 64-66 over the weekend and 23 under for the tournament to win by a shot from Australian Jack Thompson (63), South African Ian Snyman (66) and Japan's Kazuki Higa (66).
Victory at Millbrook was sealed with a clutch eight-foot par putt on the 72nd hole and earned Peake $302,000 in prize money and a three-year exemption on the Asian Tour.
It also lifted him to second spot on the Australasian Tour order of merit (OOM) behind only another Ritchie Smith-coached player, Elvis Smylie.
If he can maintain that position through the final three weeks of the Australasian season, Peake will get a card on the 2026 DP World Tour as well.
What he can definitely do is start planning for his first-ever visit to Northern Ireland in July to play the Open at Royal Portrush, where Smylie is also an all but certain starter.
"The reason I love it is that with my style of golf, I want it to be brutal out there," Peake said.
"You don't have to go out there and shoot 30 under.
"You've got to scrap it around and create a score from somewhere.
"I really enjoy playing that style of golf, so generally with the Open, with the weather and things, real links golf, that's how you play I guess.
"I've played in England once (and never in Northern Ireland), but I'm super pumped.
"The Open is just starting to sink in."
Peake's back story is an extraordinary one.
After a star-studded junior career, he went off the rails shortly after turning pro.
The nadir was a five-year prison sentence for assault in 2014.
Among the many people who helped Peake turn his life around was famed coach Smith, whose stable also includes Smylie, Hannah Green, Minjee Lee and Min Woo Lee.
"Ritchie and Min Woo Lee called me this morning and just said that basically I had already won because I wasn't in this position four years ago," Peake said.
"I'm proud of myself, proud of the things I'm doing for my family and my friends.
"But I'm also proud of where I've come from as well.
"I've still got lots of friends, love and support.
"I can change my actions, but I still am who I am."
Smylie faded to a tie for eighth on Sunday and was understandably disappointed not to mount a serious challenge for the NZ Open title.
But if he couldn't win, he was thrilled it was Peake who got to lift the trophy.
"He's such a hard worker," the 22-year-old Smylie told AAP.
"I've spent bit of time with him and it's really cool to see him get over the line.
"It couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke."
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