[Photo: PhotoSport NZ]

Defending NZ Open champion Ryan Peake is not normally one to get too emotional, but he admits his return this week to Millbrook Resort, the scene of his life-changing win 12 months ago, has provoked plenty of feelings.

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The West Australian, who hadn’t previously won a professional event and not many years removed from a stint in prison, holed a 10-foot putt for par on the 72nd hole to avoid a playoff with fellow Aussie Jack Thompson, Japan’s Kazuki Higa and South African Ian Snyman.

The memories of that Sunday, and the celebrations that followed, have been popping up all over Millbrook this week as he prepares for his title defence.

“I had a practice round yesterday at the Remarkables [course] and it’s just so unreal that I can remember exactly every shot. The feelings of everything,” Peake said. “I can remember exactly what shot I played, what club I hit, what number I had,

“I got to play the 18th, walked it the first time since last year, and it kind of hit me by surprise.

“I actually got a bit emotional walking down there. Maybe took too many emotions in, or something like that, or I just kind of got that realisation of how much it actually changed my life.”

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Peake’s victory fast-tracked his progress as a professional golfer, leading to Asian Tour and DP World Tour cards and a start at the Open Championship playing alongside former champion Phil Mickelson.

Now a global golfer, he has had to fit a trip to New Zealand in between DP World Tour starts in Africa, his previous event coming last week in Kenya, but he was never going to miss the chance to defend the Brodie Breeze Trophy.

“I was pretty much 100 percent that I was going to come back,” he said.

“I feel like I’ve got to do that for many years to come as well for the fact that this is where it happened and that can never be taken away from me and I’ll never lose sight of that as well.

“I’ve always been very loyal to where I started and I felt like this event did start it.”

Despite having just one top-10 finish since his win a year ago, Peake is adamant he’s a better player than when he had the biggest moment of his career thanks to plenty of learning experiences on his travels.

“Game feels good. There’s been lots of progression, just the results haven’t shown, so I know it’s very close,” he said.

“Who knows, maybe this week’s the week that it all clicks again.”
 
Being a New Zealand Open winner has brought has an extra perk this week, sharing dinner with previous champions, including New Zealand’s great left-hander, Sir Bob Charles, the victor four times, including as an 18-year-old in 1954.

The only two lefties to have their name on the trophy sat side by side on Monday night and found they had even more in common.

“We will swing left-handed, but we will do a signature with our right hand, we’ll bowl right-armed and kick with our right leg, so we’re kind of exactly the same there.”