Ex-Prisoner And Australian Bike Gang Member Locks Up DP World Tour Card

Former bike-gang member and ex-prisoner, Ryan Peake has moved further away from his unlawful past by securing full playing rights on the DP World Tour next season.

A promising amateur who was competing against the likes of Cameron Smith in his younger days, Peake took a different path to the 2022 Open Champion and became part of an illegal Australian biker gang, 'The Rebels' before subsequently being sentenced to five years in jail for a serious assault during his early 20s.

While serving his time, the West Australian was contacted by renowned coach Ritchie Smith about potentially going on to have another crack at pro golf once he was released. Peake ultimately agreed and, earlier this year, secured a berth at the 153rd Open Championship by winning the New Zealand Open.

Speaking at the time, the 31-year-old acknowledged his interesting back story but stated that he just wanted to play golf again and be as successful as possible.

Peake said: “I’ve just changed my life. This is what I do. I want to be here and just play golf. The story is what it is, but I’m just out here playing golf."

The 2025 New Zealand Open - part of the Open Qualifying Series - was a championship which not only catapulted Peake's name into the public domain once again but also ensured he was a heavy favorite to land one of the DP World Tour cards on offer in 2025-26 via the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia's Order of Merit.

The left-hander maintained his strong run of form since victory in New Zealand to wrap up second in the standings, behind Elvis Smylie, prior to The National Tournament at The National Golf Club this week.

Speaking after a solo-10th-place finish, the PGA of Australasia's Rookie of the Year recipient said: "It just solidified the fact of why I came back to the game and gave it another run.

“Obviously with words of encouragement which everyone knows from certain people, (coach) Ritchie (Smith), my family and all that. It just shows that I’ve proved myself right in making the decision to come back and play and give it another go.

“It will take a little while before I start getting on the road and start playing these events that it will kind of really sink in then. I’m just excited to get going.”

Peake - who will make a handful of starts on the Asian Tour in the meantime - was joined by Anthony Quayle in his celebrations after the fellow Australian sealed solo second at The National Tournament and fifth in the Order of Merit via one of the shots of his life.

Trailing eventual champion, Harrison Crowe by three strokes on the last, Quayle smashed a two-iron to eight feet from the 235 yards, setting up a birdie which has potentially changed his career prospects. Quayle went on to make the putt and move past Jack Buchanan by just 10.3 points, scoring the fifth and final available card.

Speaking to the PGA Tour of Australasia, Quayle said: "Just the shot itself is hard, but I think the circumstance might make that the best shot I’ve ever hit.

“For the last few months, I’ve really not been allowing myself to get too far ahead of myself, which is difficult to do. I feel like I was able to have one goal in mind and that was just to win each week I teed it up. I didn’t achieve that, but I feel like I had a really good chance in more than half my starts.

“I’m just incredibly proud and happy with the way I kind of just stuck with it. I’ve had three top-fives to finish the year to just sneak past and secure this. It’s pretty awesome.”

Smylie topped the Order of Merit - thanks in the main to his Australian PGA Championship victory - while Peake was second and Lucas Herbert was third. Smylie has guaranteed himself starts on the DP World Tour in the winner's category while fourth-place Cameron Smith's DP World Tour status is secured for another couple of seasons anyway as a result of his Open Championship triumph.