The score wasn’t what Australian Ryan Peake was looking for on major debut at The Open Thursday, however the West Australian, who has been a focal point for media attention all week at Royal Portrush, did walk away with some lessons and souvenirs from an opening 6-over 77.

Surrounded by local media on Tuesday to answer questions about his past and redemption story from jailed bikie to New Zealand Open winner, which earned him an Asian Tour card and soon to be DP World Tour player courtesy of his finish on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.

Peake’s big week got bigger when he discovered he would playing alongside Phil Mickelson the first two days.

No doubt reflecting when the week is over, a week he hopes will extend into the weekend by finding some better play and luck on Friday, Peake maintained his sense of humour when speaking after a round in heavy winds that finished just before the afternoon rain hit.

“It was pretty good. I just asked for his golf ball and got him to sign a golf glove for me after,” Peake said of the experience of playing alongside his fellow left hander on Thursday morning.

“I know everyone is going to look at it and say you take the experience in and stuff like that, but obviously very disappointed with the round.

“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.”

Despite the frustrations and constant scrambling to attempt to save pars, Peake did produce a highlight on one of the famed Northern Ireland links’ toughest holes when making his second birdie of the day.

The par-3 16th, ominously named ‘Calamity Corner’, saw a near perfect 5-iron from Peake which appeared to have eyes for the hole before coming up 2-feet short.

“It was just perfect number, perfect club. I had just made a poor bogey. Was on a bit of a bad run as well. I'm sure if I was 2-under going on that hole, that hole looks a little bit more daunting. But when you're 7-over, not much worse can happen,” he said,

Although suggesting immediate reflection wasn’t on the cards in his 24 hour break between rounds one and two, the to show off his souvenirs to his father Mel, a big Mickelson fan, will surely be another special moment in a special week for Peake.

“He just introduced himself, which I don't think he needs to introduce himself; I was well aware of who he was,” Peake joked of the interaction he shared with Mickelson, who opened with a 1-under 70, on the first tee.

“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?’

“I said, ‘No, I'm deadly serious … Can you sign a glove as well?’

All four rounds of The 153rd Open Championship will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo. Round 1 coverage begins at 3:30pm Thursday AEST.