Australian golfer Ryan Peake has made an extraordinary transition from a life of crime to a promising career in the PGA Tour de Australasia.
The 31 -year -old Western Australia is now competing at a high level, but its trip to the professional golf circuit has been anything but conventional.
Peake began playing golf at the age of 10 and quickly showed natural talent. When I was a teenager, I was winning multiple Junior tournaments.
In 2009, he finished second at the South Australian Junior Masters and Tasmania's Tamar Valley Junior Cup before winning the championship of the Junior Open of Tasmania.
The following year, he associated with Cameron Smith to win the trans-tasman series in New Zealand.
Peake competed at the Australia Open at age 17, playing with Golf Grandes such as Greg Norman, Adam Scott and Fred Couple.
Ryan Peake was a totally paveled member of the rebels Outlaw Motorcycle Club at age 21
For 2019, his change that alters life was underway when he won a golf tournament while he was in the release of prison day
However, his transition to professional golf at age 19 was not as planned. Feeling overwhelmed and disappointed, he left the sport and went to a different path.
After leaving the golf, Peake began to drink a lot, and its weight shot at 95 kg to 130 kg.
He got involved with the Outlaw Motorcycle Club de los Rebdes, and finally became a completely paved member at age 21.
Peake was involved in multiple clashes with the law, which culminated in his arrest for a violent assault in 2014. He was sentenced to five years in prison.
'Throughout the first year in Hakea (prison), I didn't see my mother. She wanted to come, but I didn't want me to see me like that, “Peake said.
While he was imprisoned, he began to reflect on his past decisions. He started running to lose weight and spent his time watching golf tournaments on the small prison television.
Seeing Cameron Smith win the Australian PGA in 2017, he hit him strongly, reminding him of what he had lost.
One day, Peake received a note in his Ritchie Smith cell, a renowned golf coach who had worked with Minjee and Min Woo Lee, as well as the largest winner Hannah Green.
While Peake was in prison (in the photo to the right) he received a note from the legendary golf coach Ritchie Smith, who convinced him of sport once again
Smith had trained Peake in his youth and approached, asking if he wanted to return to sport. Peake doubted.
“I just laughed,” he said.
But Smith persisted, and for multiple phone calls, Peake realized that his former coach still believed in him.
Peake knew that to commit golf again, he had to leave the rebels. With the support of the club, he formally came out, returning his vest and motorcycle.
Peake spent his last year in prison on Wooroloo prison farm, where he was awarded 12 hours every fifteen days.
In one of those releases, he returned to the golf course for the first time in years. “He felt like swinging a brick at the end of a pole of light,” he said, but soon found his rhythm.
Incredibly, on his third launch day, he won a competition of the Saturday club at Lakelands Country Club.
“I was standing there making my speech and I ended up saying:” I hope you enjoy your night, but I return to jail. “
Peake (in the photo at Narembeen Golf Club) won the Western Australia Western Australia Championship of Australia in Australia 2019
Peake expects their life lessons to help others forge a better path instead of resorting to crime
Peake was released in May 2019 and took a flight and flyer job that allowed him to practice golf in his spare time.
Determined to give his professional career another opportunity, he entered amateur tournaments and worked tirelessly to recover his form.
Peake's return to competitive golf has been remarkable.
Now in its first full season on the PGA of Australasia, it has constantly ended near the top of the classification tables.
He won the Sandbelt Invitational 2024 in Royal Melbourne, defeating the DP World Tour David Micheluzzi player in a playoff.
“I went to the bar and bought a round of beers from the boys, and then the referees entered and said:” Mate, you are necessary for a playoff, “Peake recalled.
Peake is currently on the edge of Top 20 at the PGA Tour of the Australasia Merit Order.
He hopes to compete in the New Zealand Open and in the New Zealand PGA, but his criminal record has complicated the visa process.
“I am only starting with the repercussions of my past now that I am starting to travel internationally and wanting to play tours abroad,” he said.
“But I just want people to take a lesson and avoid it.”
Peake recognizes his mistakes, but assumes all the responsibility of his past.
'I swallowed all those things about me. I never felt sorry for myself, '' he said.
His former coach, Ritchie Smith, believes that Peake has the talent to succeed.
'This guy was very good. When I say 'Very good', I mean Cameron Smith at the good level, “said Smith.
Now, Peake is still determined to continue advancing.
'I am seeing the boys playing at this time, and I know that I can overcome them if I had more time with the clubs. I will not get so easy. This time it is for me.