Former Rebels bikie gang member Ryan Peake has hung tough to claim a dramatic win at the New Zealand Open in Queenstown.
Peake carded a final round of 66 to finish at 23-under-par for the tournament, a shot clear of fellow Australian Jack Thompson, South African Ian Snyman and Kazuki Higa from Japan.
He did it the hard way, nervelessly rolling in a 2.4-metre putt on the final hole to clinch victory before raising his arms in triumph.
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The 31-year-old picked up $302,000 for the tournament win and a guaranteed start in the 2025 British Open at Royal Portrush.
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 Cup in 2010 as 17-year-olds.
Peake (second from right) and Cameron Smith (left) were teammates at the 2010 Trans Tasman Cup. (AAP/Golf Australia)
But shortly after turning professional he lost his way.
Peake received a five-year prison sentence for assault in 2014.
With the aid of renowned coach Ritchie Smith and others, Peake then turned his life around without ever hiding from his chequered past.
He received a full card on the Australasian Tour for the first time in 2024-25, and this was his first tournament victory as a professional.
Peake claimed his first professional tournament victory. (Getty Images: Hannah Peters)
“I always knew I could do it, it was a just a matter of when I was going to do it,” Peake said.
“(Australian PGA winner) Elvis Smylie was in the same predicament not that long ago and our coach Ritchie 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.
