‘I was like Father Christmas’: Gifts given and received as Peake makes major debut alongside Mickelson

Portrush, Northern Ireland: Shooting six over par in your first round of a major was not how Australian Ryan Peake envisioned things panning out on Thursday at Portrush.

He jokingly referred to himself as “Father Christmas”; he just kept giving the golf course mistakes wrapped as presents.

But a five-hour walk with six-time major winner Phil Mickelson, who gifted him a golf ball and signed his glove for him was an experience he will never forget.

The convicted ex-bikie gang member, who spent five years in a WA prison for assault, has been one of the most talked about players in the tournament in the build-up to the 153rd Open Championship, such is the intrigue in his story from media outlets around the planet.

The New Zealand Open winner admitted to being desperately disappointed in his opening round, which included eight bogeys and two birdies.

However, a smile came to his face when he was asked about the experience of playing alongside fellow left-hander Mickelson.

“It was pretty good. I just asked for his golf ball and got him to sign a golf glove for me after,” Peake said.

“I know everyone is going to look at it and say ‘you take the experience in’ and stuff like that, but obviously [I’m] very disappointed with the round. [It’s] not what I want. So [I’m] pretty flat at the moment, [and] as pretty flat out there as well. I just got beat up out there.

“I felt like I did a couple things all right and kind of didn’t get rewarded for them. 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.

“Obviously, I’ve still got tomorrow … [to] do something to make this cut. But the whole experience ... that’s something that I’ll look on further down the track. I’m here to compete. I’m in a competitive mode. So yeah, I was pretty flat.”

Peake, who teed off in the morning, said he was frustrated he wasn’t able to take advantage of the better conditions, compared to the chaotic wind and rain that hit the course in the afternoon.

He laughed when recalling that Mickelson actually introduced himself when they met and shook hands on the first tee box.

“I didn’t think he needed to introduce himself; I was well aware of who he was,” Peake said.

“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.

“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.

“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 [that happened].”

Sam McClure travelled to the British Open with the assistance of Golf Australia.

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