The backstory of winner Ryan Peake has been documented many times since his narrow but impressive one-shot victory over a group of three players at Millbrook Resort near Arrowtown in Central Otago and on-course commentator Bruce Young shares his insight about that final day and such a special victory.
Peake had been a promising junior golfer many years earlier, representing Australia in junior teams events before turning professional in 2012.
The road in professional golf has never been plain sailing however and soon after he made the decision to head to the mines in Western Australia to provide income although turning to the dark side and forming connections to the Rebels bike gang before eventually falling foul of the law.
Jailed for assault, he would spend five years behind bars but under the guidance of West Australian coaching guru Ritchie Smith his passion for the game he loved returned and he returned to professional golf in 2023.
He gained his playing privileges for the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia in 2023 and slowly started putting together a series of reasonable finishes before finishing 80th in the 2003/2004 Order of Merit.
It was not enough, however, to retain his playing privileges but he would regain those rights at the Qualifying School in April of 2024 where he finished 10th.
In the current 2024/2025 season there had been four top tens before heading to the New Zealand Open in Queenstown but although getting into the event was guaranteed, getting to New Zealand was not.
Initially turned away from the airport in Australia on Monday of tournament week when his previous trouble with the law reared its ugly head, he was advised by immigration authorities that the visa he had been advised was bonafide was not and so Peake, tournament officials, and connections in New Zealand’s immigration department went into overdrive.
Despite the agonising uncertainty of not knowing his fate for 24 hours, he was eventually legally approved to fly out on Tuesday afternoon resulting in a late arrival into an event which he had not played previously or even seen either of the two courses in use at Millbrook.
Things continued to go right for Peake when he was assigned a caddy from the available caddy ranks who would prove to be a godsend. Matthew Fitzsimons was from Northern Ireland and has spent time in New Zealand caddying at the exclusive and very high-end Tara Iti north of Auckland but, importantly, he was a very good player and the pair seemed to gel very quickly.
Fitzsimons had attended a golf college in Scotland and as the week progressed it was clear Peake was leaning heavily on the input from his new bagman.
In my role as on course commentator, I was advised by the director for Sky’s televised coverage of the event that the final pairing of Guantek Kho and Peake would be my assigned group for the final day but, while that was not unusual, there was the possibility that should a run come from one of the more recognised players starting ahead of the final group, then I might well be asked to move ahead to cover that challenge.
Even though our coverage did not start until 2.30, I joined Kho and Peake at the first hole when they teed off at 1.00pm to get a feel for how things would progress over the opening few holes before we went to air.
Peake began the final round four shots behind Kho, but, by the turn, he had reduced the gap to just two courtesy of birdies at the 2nd, 5th and 9th, superb iron shots leading to those birdies and although unable to capitalise on the driveable 7th and a shortish birdie opportunity the 8th, a stunning approach to the 9th to 4 feet behind the hole set the tone for the remainder of the round.
As Kho began to drop away through the middle of the back nine, Peake converted a birdie opportunity from a tricky spot just short of the near driveable par 4 12th, but perhaps one of the most important shots came when somehow saving par from a dangerous position just right of the par 5 14th green.
His second shot approach downwind from 260 metres finished on the hill to the right of the green, leaving a near impossible shot just to find the green and it was all he could do to make par and keep himself ahead of Kho by two and a chasing pack who were closing in.
Peake parred the 15th and 16th, executing a delicate up and down from just off the back of the green at the 15th and then missing very makeable putt for birdie at the 16th.
The par 5 17th has often proved crucial over the closing stages at Millbrook and, knowing a good drive would ensure the green was very reachable, his tee shot measured over 340 metres and left just 175 metres downhill to a front flag.
Perhaps pumped up with adrenalin and emotion, his 8 iron second found the back right of the green but again he was up to the task with a beautifully measured 45-foot putt down the slope which came to rest just two feet from the hole.
When converted Peake was one ahead of South Australian Jack Thompson who was in the process of putting together a final round 63 and who needed a 12-foot birdie putt at the last to draw level but, when he had missed, the leader strode to the potentially dangerous par 3 last, knowing a par would seal a life-changing victory.
The hole was playing 155 metres which given the helping wind told both Peake and his Fitzsimons that a 9 iron would do the trick. They spent some time deciding on which line to take as, given the one-shot lead, there was no need to get too aggressive to a back left flag.
Peake would miss the green right but not so far right to find the penalty area and was left with 45 foot pitch and run across the green. It was made all the more difficult by the gentle undulation between him and the hole and when he finished 9 feet short he was left with a nerve-racking but crucial putt to win.
That he made it is now history and the emotion he showed after holing the putt told the story of full redemption for a roller coaster past and potentially an outstanding future.
Not only did Peake pocket the $$NZ335,000 for the victory but the win ensures full status on the Australasian and Asian Tours over the next two years, a start at the Open Championship, and with his standing in the top three of the Order of Merit now all but assured, he will have DP World Tour playing rights beginning later this year.
In a week that began with the uncertainty of not knowing whether he could even get to Queenstown, Ryan Peake opened up a range of options for his playing future with a beautifully composed final round which will change not only his playing career but his life.
Being up close and personal to a large degree on that final day is one I will never forget and the growing support of a crowd who got behind a young man who overcame a chequered background made an emotional and spine-tingling final day even more so.
Hopefully, Matthew Fitzsimons will be justly rewarded for the very significant role in keeping his man focused and calm on a day when challenges were coming from everywhere.
Peake handled the pressure like a far more experienced golfer than his relatively young professional career would suggest.
I guess the pressure involved in coming from four shots off the pace and holing a 9 foot putt at the last to win pales in comparison to the horror of five years behind bars with no real direction.
As his mother reportedly said earlier ‘at least I knew where he was when he was in jail’. She will also know where he is in the years ahead but for sure it is a much better place.
