Pink shirts pressed. Confidence high. Accuracy… pending.
Reigning champions Team Spider are back to defend the crown — and if last season proved anything, it’s that this lot can win matches and still look mildly surprised by it afterwards.
With Captain Jason Sykes steering the ship again, Spider roll into 2026 with one of the most diverse rosters on tour: proven winners, steady grinders, and three fresh promotions who’ll learn very quickly that “tour golf” is 50% talent, 50% mental warfare, and 100% someone blaming the greens.
Team page: https://golftrip.jjs-enterprises.com/team/spider/
2026 Roster
- Jason Sykes (Captain) – ENG | Tour Starts: 3 | Best Result: 1st
- Mark Neighbour – ENG | Tour Starts: 3 | Best Result: 3rd
- Greg Ticehurst – ENG | Tour Starts: 3 | Best Result: 4th
- Sam Harris – ENG | Tour Starts: 3 | Best Result: 10th
- David Cunningham – ENG | Tour Starts: 3 | Best Result: 11th
- Alan Obern – ENG | Tour Starts: 0 | Best Result: N/A
- Cath Levell – ENG | Tour Starts: 0 | Best Result: N/A
- Glyn Broome – ENG | Tour Starts: 0 | Best Result: N/A
OFFSEASON News
Spider’s offseason has been… productive. Depending who you ask.
- Captain Sykes has reportedly moved the squad’s “Portugal prep” from actual practice to strategic mindset training, which is tour code for: buying new gear and talking about last year a lot.
- Mark Neighbour has been spotted trialling bag changes at a rate normally reserved for people escaping the police. Insiders say he’s “found the perfect setup” roughly seven times since Christmas.
- Greg Ticehurst has leaned fully into the Spider identity and is rumoured to have demanded matching team colours “for cohesion” (and absolutely not because it’ll look class in photos).
- David Cunningham has successfully negotiated another year on tour and is now operating with the relaxed confidence of a man who knows contracts are awarded for reasons science cannot explain.
2026 Objectives
- Win the 2026 Tour (again — and make it look accidental)
- David Cunningham to finish inside the Top 10 (yes, this is now a performance plan)
- No one to mention “handicap” before the 3rd tee (impossible, but we can dream)
Player Spotlights
Jason Sykes (Captain, reigning champion)
The standard-setter. If Spider are lifting trophies again, it’ll be because the skipper has turned up in “business mode” — and kept the rest of the team from emotionally imploding after one bad swing.
Mark Neighbour (Mr Reliable… unless he changes clubs again)
A proven tour performer with a nose for big moments. If he can resist tinkering for five minutes, he’s a genuine danger to everyone.
Cath Levell (Tour rookie, history-maker)
The first female to join the tour, and already a terrifying prospect for the field: calm, composed, and unlikely to get rattled by the lads doing the usual mid-round crisis meetings over putter grips.
Glyn Broome (New blood, Devon swagger)
Promoted and confident — which is great, because tour golf is about to humble him in the most character-building way possible.
What the stats suggest
- Spider’s ceiling is the highest on tour: they’ve already proven they can win it all.
- They’ve got a strong spine of experience (Sykes / Neighbour / Ticehurst / Harris / Cunningham) which matters when matches tighten up late.
- The three new starters add energy and depth, which is crucial when the trip turns into a week-long endurance event disguised as golf.
Where can they improve
- Closing out matches without drama. Spider love a comfortable lead… then immediately start playing like they’ve never seen a golf club.
- Avoiding “momentum-killing doubles.” One bad hole is fine. One bad hole plus a committee meeting is not.
- Putting under pressure. There’s always one putt that decides a match — and someone always tries to blame “grain” like they’re on the PGA Tour.
Key quotes
Jason Sykes, Team Captain
“Switching to Portugal from Spain just raises the bar — better courses, bigger stage, and everyone’s coming for us. We’re champions for a reason… and we’re not done.”
Greg Ticehurst
“I’m buzzing to finally play in matching team colours. If we’re going to take points off people, we may as well look elite doing it.”
Mark Neighbour
“I’ve made a couple of bag changes… but this one’s the one. It’s locked in now.”
(Note: this quote is valid for approximately 48 hours.)
Cath Levell
“First female on tour is brilliant — but I’m not here for the novelty. I’m here to compete. And if the lads want to chat excuses, they can do it after I’ve taken their points.”
Bottom line
Team Spider are champions for a reason: they’ve got proven winners, a strong core, and enough new blood to keep the energy high.
If they hit form early in Vilamoura, they won’t just defend the title — they’ll make it feel inevitable. The only thing that can stop them is… Team Spider.
Three bold predictions
Mark Neighbour changes his bag at least once during tour week, then shoots his best round immediately afterwards and calls it “data-driven.”
Jason Sykes wins the biggest match of the tour (and claims it was “just steady golf”).
Cath Levell becomes Spider’s breakout star — and instantly everyone pretends they “always knew she’d be quality.”