Flight chaos and a pep talk from Min Woo Lee: How former bikie Ryan Peake won the NZ Open

Flight chaos and drama entering the country, former bikie Ryan Peake faced a rough start to the New Zealand Open, but he reveals the star pep talk that inspired his first win.

Ryan Peake was turned away from two flights before he was finally allowed to travel to Queenstown for his life-changing New Zealand Open win, which he said was partly inspired by a pep talk from Min Woo Lee.

Peake, a former Rebels bikie who spent five years in prison before taking up a professional golfing career, was left on edge after twice booking flights last week and then being unable to board them.

He had been forced to apply for a special order to travel across the Tasman because of his past, and believed he was able to leave Sydney for New Zealand last Monday.

But once he arrived at the airport, he was told his documentation hadn’t been signed off by immigration officials.

He changed his plans to a new flight on Tuesday, but once again he was blocked from boarding, just 48 hours before his first round tee time.

Ryan Peake wins the 2025 New Zealand Open. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

“So, I changed the flight (again) and I eventually got on a flight on Tuesday night,” he said. “I couldn’t (board) at the start and they had to call immigration. They approved me to fly and it was processed while I was in the air.

“They had so much paperwork in the background that I wasn’t aware of they had to fill out. I think there might have been a mix-up with my paperwork from a couple of years ago. But they were fantastic with me.

“When I got to the airport, they grabbed me and gave me a run down on everything and why it was taking so long.”

The 31-year-old only had one day to familiarise himself with the Millbrook resort’s two different courses, getting up at 5am last Wednesday to play 36 holes, but he eventually went on to win the $1.8 million event and secure a spot in July’s British Open.

Peake’s past, which he has never shied away from and wants to be a lesson to others, created worldwide headlines within hours of his victory in Queenstown as he now awaits his first major appearance.

He will need similar dispensation to enter the United Kingdom for the British Open, which will feature the likes of world No.1 Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

On the morning of his final round before he chased down a four-shot deficit, Peake took a phone call from coach Ritchie Smith, who was in Florida with Min Woo Lee at the latest PGA Tour stop.

“He had just finished his (third) round,” Peake said.

“They told me to enjoy the day. They said, ‘don’t beat yourself up. You weren’t in this position four years ago and you’ve already won’. I just went out and enjoyed the day. That’s what I did.

“I wanted to keep the emotions to a minimum out there because obviously I’ve got plenty of them bottled up inside my head. I knew what it meant. I knew exactly what that (winning) putt meant as soon as I sunk it.”

The left-hander will again be in action at the New Zealand PGA Championship at Hastings this week after soaring to second behind Elvis Smylie on the PGA Tour of Australasia order of merit.

The top three finishers will secure cards on the DP World Tour next season.

The PGA Tour of Australasia season will finish with the Heritage Classic and National Tournament later this month.