From Prison to the Open Championship: Australia’s Ryan Peake wins 104th New Zealand Open to clinch first major berth

CNN (CNN.com) — Ryan Peake, a former Australian motorcycle gang member-turned-good with the help of golf, has added another positive chapter to his remarkable comeback story after earning a spot at The Open Championship on Sunday.

Peake clinched his ticket to Royal Portrush after capturing the 104th New Zealand Open, sinking an 8-foot par putt on the final hole to avoid a four-way playoff.

Entering the final round, trailing four strokes behind leader Guntaek Koh, Peake delivered a bogey-free 66 to finish at 23-under-par, claiming the title and the approximately $112,000 prize.

“I’ve just changed my life,” Peake said after his win. “This is what I do. I just want to be here and play golf. The story is what it is. But I’m just out here playing golf.”

At 21, Peake was a promising junior golfer from Western Australia, playing alongside the likes of Cameron Smith. However, his career was derailed when he became involved with the outlawed Rebels motorcycle gang. A conviction for assault led to a five-year prison sentence.

While incarcerated, Peake was contacted by renowned golf coach Ritchie Smith, who saw potential in the Aussie golfer and helped him resume his career upon release.

Peake returned to full-time golf in 2022 and earned a card on the PGA Tour of Australasia in 2024. Now a rookie on the tour, the 31-year-old had difficulty getting into New Zealand, nearly missing the tournament due to a delay by immigration officials because of his criminal record.

However, Peake was able to resolve his visa issues and arrived at Millbrook Resort course near Queenstown on Tuesday ahead of the tournament’s opening round on Thursday.

Reflecting on his journey, Peaked showed immense gratitude for the support from his family and friends, and his own confidence in overcoming past challenges.

“I always knew I could do it but it was just a matter of when I was going to do it,” Peake said. “Along with my family and my team everyone believed and most of all I believed as well.”

With his victory, Peake will have a chance to raise the Claret Jug in July and moves closer to securing a card on the DP World Tour.