The shock 2025 New Zealand Open champion peeled off eight birdies in a second-round six-under-par 66 at the revamped Royal Auckland and Grange Golf Club to soar up the leaderboard to eight under for the championship.
Only fellow Australian Jay Mackenzie and Japan's Kohei Okada, who fired 67s on Friday, are ahead of Peake, the one-time bikie who burst to prominence with his stirring victory at Millbrook last year.
Peake would have matched Curtis Luck's new course record if he had made a birdie, not a bogey, at the testing par-5 final hole after finding the greenside bunker in two, but with a difficult downhill lie.
His bunker shot slowly rolled off the green on the other side and he took another three shots from there.
With only one top 10 on his record since winning the NZ Open, Peake believes his recent scores haven't reflected his good play.
"I've been playing great golf for the last six months. Results don't show it," the 32-year-old said.
"I've missed the cut and it's been really frustrating. I knew that it was about to turn. I thought it was going to happen last week (at the 2026 NZ Open) and it didn't."
Mackenzie has brought his strong form from Queenstown last week, where he finished in the top 10, to Auckland where he's given himself a chance to win the biggest title of his career and the opportunity to play on an international tour.
Currently ninth on the Order of Merit, Mackenzie could go a long way to sealing the No.1 spot with victory on Sunday.
"That's what we do all the practice for. We'll see what happens over the weekend," he said.
One of three Japanese players in the top six, only co-leader Okada is without a win on his home tour.
His second-round highlight was an eagle on the par-5 sixth, part of a front nine of 31.
"I'm not feeling that confident, so I'm going to go out and practise now," he said post-round.
Peake is tied for third with Kiwi Nick Voke, who also shot a 66 on Friday, and Japan's Taichi Nabetani (67).Â
With major rewards on the line on Sunday, the 31-year-old Voke is trying not to think too much about the huge career boost a win would bring.
Not only would he be the inaugural Japan-Australasia Championship titleholder, he'd most likely move to No.1 on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia with two events to play and earn a two-year exemption on the Japan Golf Tour.
"That'd be awesome," he said about winning at his home club.
"I've been a member here six or seven years now and really consider it my home when I am home."
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