Golf player Ryan Peak: From prison to British Open

It was ten years ago that Ryan Peake found himself deep in a swamp that you don’t actually come out of. He had landed in an Australian prison, at the age of 21, condemned for a period of five years for a violent robbery. In the previous years, the peak’s everyday life was known for their entanglements in organized crimes as a member of the so-called Rebels, one of the largest Australian motorcycle gangs. Anyone who is part of such a gang does not come away or difficult to get away from it. However, Ryan Peake achieved a call in prison that was supposed to change his life. Now, ten years later, he has one of the most remarkable comeback stories in golf.

During his stay behind bars, his former coach Ritchie Smith contacted him and reminded him of his old life, before motorcycle crime. Peap was one of the most talented young golfers in Australia, in duels, for example, involved with Cameron Smith, who is now a major winner and has earned hundreds of US dollars on the Saudi Arabic LIV tour. Peake’s old trainer reminded him that he was still able to do so. Even if he hadn’t played a golf for years.

He should be right. Peak worked back to the professional circus with a lot of training, took part in countless small tournaments and quickly made a name for himself in Australia. Only: The ascent in golf is difficult, it is a way full of obstacles and with almost endless competition – until suddenly you can get the right tournament.

“I changed my life,” he says after the tournament

That was the case for Peap on Sunday. At the New Zealand Open in the Millbrook Resort on New Zealand South Island, Peake won the largest tournament of his life to date. As a reward, there was not only a trophy, but also almost $ 200,000-and several invitations. Peak can now play permanently on the lucrative Asian Tour and can start at the British Open in July in Northern Ireland, one of the four major tournaments. “I changed my life,” he said after the tournament: “My story is what it is – but I just wanted to play golf.” But even that was just possible, this week.

As an ex-prisoner, Peak can only travel under difficult conditions, in New Zealand, for example, he needed a separate visa that did not arrive for a long time. Only two days before the first day of the tournament arrived, Peak flew to the South Island and played 36 training holes in the two places in which the tournament was held on Wednesday. He had never played it before, but this did not prevent him from winning his tournament – and by promotion to a new life that gives him global attention.

A few months ago, Peape told Peape in detail in the Australian golf podcast “Tea IT Up”, now he will have to spread it even more frequently. For all the good, which makes up the often fast -moving golf, in which you can take the elevator with the right timing, it is now with his ascent. And especially in a country like Australia, the problems with gang crime is just as much a national phenomena as a great love for sport, Peak represents the message that everything is possible. Even if the swamp appears so deep.