Former Rebels bikie gang member Ryan Peake has made a remarkable entry into the New Zealand Open, overcoming significant visa issues and a disrupted preparation to secure a strong position after two rounds. Peake, who currently sits just outside the top 20 on the Australasian Tour order of merit, has demonstrated resilience and determination against the odds.
Peake faced substantial challenges leading up to the tournament. Due to visa complications, he traveled on a special direction order, which saw him arrive in Queenstown on Tuesday evening after three flights. Despite these obstacles, Peake managed to familiarize himself with the 36-hole Millbrook Resort layout during a practice round on Wednesday. He shot impressive opening rounds of 67 and 64, placing him in a tie for fourth place at 11 under, alongside American John Catlin and South Africa's Ian Snyman.
In his own words, Peake described the challenging preparation process:
"I can't get a visa to travel here, so I've got to travel on a special direction order." – Ryan Peake
Peake's journey to this point has been anything but conventional. At 21, he received a five-year prison sentence for serious assault, during which his weight increased to 130kg. Now in better physical shape, Peake's performance at Millbrook Resort reflects his transformation and dedication to golf.
China's Bobby Bai secured outright third place at 13 under, while South Korea's Guntaek Koh leads the tournament after matching the course record with a 10-under 61 in the second round. Koh, a prolific winner with four Korean Tour victories in the past four years, has set a high benchmark for competitors.
James Marchesani, son of former AFL player Frank Marchesani, made waves by reaching 16 under through 35 holes before ending with a double-bogey six on his final hole. Reflecting on his performance, Marchesani noted:
"I hit a lot of good shots which helps and I putted great which is why you are at the top end of the leaderboard, especially in conditions like this." – James Marchesani
The New Zealand Open boasts a substantial prize purse of $1.8 million. The competition remains fierce as the halfway cut was made at five under. Local favorite Steve Alker narrowly made it into the weekend action by birdieing the last three holes.
Peake's ability to focus amid challenging circumstances has been crucial. Discussing his mindset during the tournament, he shared:
"Because the prep hasn't been very good, basically Thursday and Friday was just about trying to keep some big numbers off the card and give myself some looks … and try and work it out from there." – Ryan Peake
Despite arriving late in Queenstown and coping with exhaustion, Peake found some reprieve:
"I went home that night and I was really tired, but luckily enough on Thursday I had the afternoon round so I did get some sleep," – Ryan Peake
