Ryan Peake completed an extraordinary story of redemption Sunday.
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Australian Ryan Peake just finished a redemption story of age on Sunday.
When he was 21, his life was very different, and when he was part of the rebel motorcycle gang, he was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a serious attack.
Peake, 31, has reintegrated into competitive golf, starting Sunday with his final round of 66 shots at the Millbrook Resort and won his first professional victory in a match in one.
As the New Zealand Open is part of the open qualifying series, Pique’s victory gave him a spot in the Open this summer at Royal Prothush.
“I just changed my life,” Pique said. “That’s what I’m going to do. I want to play golf here. That’s the story, but I’m just playing golf here.
Pique almost missed the game when his trip was lifted by New Zealand immigration officials for his criminal record. He didn’t arrive in Millbrook, not far from Queenstown until Tuesday.
He also needs special permission to travel to Northern Ireland in July.
Peake is a promising junior in Western Australia, including confronting 2022 Open Champion Cameron Smith. But his career was derailed by the 2014 attacks.
While in prison, coach Ritchie Smith reached out to him and asked if he was interested in returning to his golf career after his release. He gave up on the game completely when he was a teenager
Luckily, Peake said yes, the two went to work when they were released in 2019, with Peake receiving the Australian Travel Card for the first time this season.
This week, he bogeyed the final 55 holes and nailed an eight-foot birdie putt on the 72nd to end a defeat against Jack Thompson, Kazuki Shiga and Ian Snyman.
“I always knew I could do it; Pique said, “It’s just a matter of time when I will do it.” ” “[DP World Tour player] Not long ago, Elvis Smylie was in the same stumbling block, and our coach Ritchie Smith said it will change, and you just need to commit.
“He had the same chat with me when I missed the Australian Open and the Australian PGA cuts.
“We set some goals of how we hope to complete the rest of the year and my family, my team, everyone believes. But most importantly, I believe it too.”
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