Peake form continues at Port Hedland Pro-Am - PGA of Australia

Peake form continues at Port Hedland Pro-Am


Ryan Peake has extended his sand green dominance and won a second straight adidas PGA Pro-Am Series title in a dramatic finale to the Roy Hill Golf Classic Pro-Am at Port Hedland Golf Club.

The only event on the WA swing played on sand greens, 29 players teed it up at the picturesque Port Hedland layout vying for their share of the $30,000 in prize money.

Confident after his breakthrough win at Karratha last start, Peake started Round 2 one stroke back of Hayden Hopewell but wasted no time in taking over top spot.

A three-time winner of the WA Sand Greens Championship, Peake (66) picked up birdies at four of his first six holes to move two clear of Hopewell (68).

He kept the foot to the floor and was 8-under on his round through 13 holes to lead by five but a change in mindset almost brought him undone.

Admitting to adopting a less aggressive approach, Peake’s bogey and Hopewell’s birdie saw a two-shot swing on 15, the lead cut to two when Hopewell also made birdie on 16.

The Spalding Park Open champion made a costly bogey on 17 to hand Peake a three-shot advantage with one hole to play yet more drama was to come.

A wayward tee shot forced Peake to take an unplayable lie and opened the door for Hopewell, who applied the pressure with a closing birdie.

It left Peake needing to make a putt from eight feet for bogey to clinch victory, the firmly-struck putt hitting the back of the cup, popping up in the air and momentarily sitting on the lip before dropping in for the win.

“It’s golf; you’re never home and hosed,” Peake said of the thrilling finish.

“A little bit disappointed with myself over those last four holes. Instead of continuing to chase I tried to play smart and just put the ball in play and ended up making some bogeys from getting some flyers from the rough.

“My game is to be aggressive and just keep attacking and I just kind of let that slip a little bit on those last four holes.”

On top of the winner’s cheque, his Port Hedland win should pave the way for Peake to play a larger schedule in Queensland at the completion of the WA swing.

With a strong support network behind him and a renewed love for the game, Peake is beginning to fulfil the potential that made the left-hander a state junior representative.

“It’s more perseverance. I’ve been playing a lot more golf, building more confidence,” Peake said of his back-to-back wins.

“For a long time I’ve never really loved golf but the last few months I actually genuinely love golf now.

“I’ve been in a good head-space, I’ve got some great guys that are backing me and taking all the stress away from golf off me.

“I shoot 74 and can’t wait to get out there the next day and play again.

“The enjoyment that I’m getting from it is putting me in a much better headspace.”

Hopewell’s birdie on 18 ensured he finished outright second at 10-under par, one clear of Brady Watt (68) with Scott Strange (68) and Braden Becker (65) sharing fourth spot.

Players now move seven hours north to Broome Golf Club for the final event of WA’s adidas PGA Pro-Am Series swing, the Broome Furnishings – Carpet, Paint and Tile Broome Pro-Am starting Friday.

Final scores and prize money


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