The Open: Ex-motorcycle gang member explains hilarious Phil Mickelson exchange

Former motorcycle gang member Ryan Peake joked he felt like Father Christmas on day one of The Open after giving away so many gifts to Royal Portrush. 

The Australian has been in high-demand at the final men's major of the year as his pathway to professional golf has been anything but normal. 

When The Open was last staged here in 2019, Peake had just completed a five-year prison sentence for a serious assault. 

Whilst he was locked up, Peake wrote to apologise to the people he let down, including his former golf coach who urged him to come back to the sport. 

Peake obliged and left the outlawed Rebels motorcycle gang when he was 21 years old. 

Now 32, he earned his spot in the field this week by winning the New Zealand Open in March. 

But he is left with an uphill battle to make the cut after firing an opening round of six-over 77. 

"I felt like I did a couple things all right and kind of didn't get rewarded for them," Peake said. 

"But I was like Father Christmas out there. I was just handing out presents to the golf course. I just kept throwing them away, and it was just very frustrating."

Peake said he's here to compete and not just make up the numbers. "I'm pretty flat," he said of his mood. 

He added: "But I've still got tomorrow and [I will] try and do something to make this cut."

"What about me?"

Peake is playing the first two rounds of The Open with former champion Phil Mickelson and South Africa's Daniel Van Tonder.

The golfer said Mickelson signed a glove for him and even gave him a ball at the end of their round. 

Asked about their interaction on the first tee, Peake said: "He just introduced himself, which I don't think he needs to introduce himself, I was well aware of who he was. 

"But obviously I was nervous. I wouldn't say nervous because I was playing next to Phil. It's just, I guess, your first major and things like that. But I've just got to get better at that, and I've got to be better at that."

Their conversation was cordial, Peake said, but Mickelson didn't offer any tips throughout the round. 

"I would have known I was in a bad place if he'd come over and started offering me help," Peake said. 

"But no, we chatted. He's very friendly. We just had a lot of normal chitchat, talked about family. We talked about different things. Nothing in particular.

"But yeah, I grabbed his putter off him a few times and had a little feel of it. That's the OG; that's the one from The Masters. There was a couple cool things.

"Like I said, his caddie gave away golf balls as we were walking off the tee, and I yelled out, 'What about me?'

"And he had a laugh, thought I was being sarcastic, and he said, 'Are you serious?', and I said, 'No, I'm deadly serious'. I said, 'Can you sign a glove as well?'

"He's your hero growing up. My own boy is out here this week and he loves him as well. I'm not going to ask him on the first tee, but I'll ask him after the round."

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