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Champions Day Bonus Bets giveawayFormer bikie turns in Peake performance to win NZ Open
John Salvado, AAP • March 2nd, 2025 9:00 pm
Photo: Andrew Cornaga/AAP
Former Rebels bikie gang member Ryan Peake has hung tough to claim a life-changing victory in the New Zealand Open and open up a world of golfing possibilities.
Peake carded a final round of five-under 66 to finish at 23 under, a shot clear of fellow Australian Jack Thompson (63), South African Ian Snyman (66) and Japan's Kazuki Higa (66).
And he did it the hard way, nervelessly rolling in an eight-foot par putt on the final hole to clinch the victory before clenching his raised fists and roaring with delight.
The 31-year-old picked up $334,700 for the tournament win and a guaranteed start in the 2025 British Open at Royal Portrush.
He also now has a three-year exemption on the Asian Tour and is in the box seat to gain a 2026 card on the DP World Tour if he maintain his position on the Australasian Tour order of merit (OOM) for the next three weeks.
Remarkably, Peake was bogey-free through his final 55 holes, despite only laying eyes on the two courses at Millbrook Resort for the first time in the practice round on Wednesday.
Even more extraordinary is Peake's back story.
As a junior prodigy he once teamed with Cameron Smith to win the boys' division of the Trans Tasman trophy in 2010 as 17-year-olds.
Cameron Smith (l) and Ryan Peake (2nd r) teamed up as teenagers to win the 2010 Trans Tasman Cup | Photo: Golf Australia
But shortly after turning pro he lost his way.
In 2014, Peake received a five-year prison sentence for assault.
With the aid of his family, renowned coach Ritchie Smith, the other members of his star-studded squad and others, Peake then turned his life around without ever hiding from his chequered past.
"Ritchie Smith 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," he 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."
Peake received a full card on the Australasian Tour for the 2024-25 campaign, and this was his first tournament victory as a professional.
Beautiful Millbrook Resort was the setting for Ryan Peake's life-changing win | Photo: Andrew Cornaga/AAP
"I always knew I could do it, it was a just a matter of when I was going to do it," said Peake.
"(Australian PGA winner) Elvis Smylie was in the same predicament not that long ago and (coach Smith) said it was going to switch and you've just got to commit to it.
"He had the same chat with me after I missed the cut at the Aussie Open and the PGA.
"We set some goals about how to finish the rest of the year.
"Along with my family and my team, everyone believed. And most of all, I believed as well.
"This has changed my life.
"This is what I do. I want to be here and just play golf.
The story is what it is but I'm just out here playing golf."
Peake only arrived in Queenstown 36 hours before the tournament began after a hold-up in receiving a special direction order to travel to New Zealand because he is ineligible for a regular visa.
Overnight leader Guntaek Koh from South Korea unravelled on the final day.
After starting the fourth round with a four-shot lead, Koh was overtaken shortly after the turn on Sunday and eventually signed for a two-over 73.
Smylie (69) finished in a tie for eighth to all but secure the 2024-25 Australasian Tour OOM title.
But Peake could still overtake him if he continues this sort of winning form at the remaining three events of the 2024-25 season, starting with next week's NZ PGA.
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