The raw numbers don't show it yet, but Ryan Peake is adamant he is a much better golfer now than when he produced one of sport's all-time great redemption stories by winning the 2025 NZ Open.
That hugely unlikely victory, coming just six years after the former bikie was released from jail having served five years for assault, was life changing on a number of fronts.
A two-year full card on the Asian Tour meant the admittedly nervous flyer became an instant globe-trotter.
Peake played a gruelling 27 tournaments in 12 countries last year, including an unforgettable major debut grouped with his hero and fellow leftie Phil Mickelson in the British Open at storied Royal Portrush.
The NZ Open triumph aside, his best result on the Asian Tour was a tie for 21st in Morocco and there were plenty of missed cuts as Peake's world ranking slipped past 500.
But there were also innumerable valuable lessons learned which the burly West Australian plans to put into practice as he steps up another level to the DP World Tour in 2026.
"I guess I was still trying to find my feet," the 32-year-old said on Wednesday.
"Winning the NZ Open obviously elevated me a lot quicker than our intentions.
"I missed a couple of stages of the transition side of things, which probably led on the results side of things not being where we want them.
"But in reality they're probably exactly where they should be.
"Results aside, I'm a much better golfer than I was when I won this event a year ago. The game feels good.
"I know it's very close and who knows, maybe this week is the week that it all clicks again."
Peake will be among the headline acts as he defends the NZ Open title at Millbrook Resort, something that has also taken some getting used to for a man who spent so long away from the sporting limelight.
It's the sort of thing that is second nature to the likes of his 2025 British Open playing partner Mickelson.
"All that stuff that I missed out on from the previous years that I wasn't playing competitive golf, playing at a high level against world-class players," he said.
"You see how things are done different.
"You spot things, you pick up on it, you remember it."
Another life-altering aspect of last year's NZ Open triumph was the $360,000 first prize, although Peake tempered that by noting he was "probably 700 grand in the hole before".
"So I'm still really far behind," he said.
"That's something you've got to try and get used to because everyone just thinks that you're really wealthy now and it's far from that.
"And I'm more of a giver. I didn't buy anything excessive or anything like that."
Peake was genuinely moved by the reception he received from so many other players when he got up by a shot at Millbrook Resort last year.
"Everyone knows the tough times that you go through," he said.
"As much as everyone wants to win it, I think a big thing from my coach Ritchie Smith that he tries to ingrain into his players is basically if (you) don't win, you just come across as that character that they want to win.
"And I think that showed when I sunk the putt."
