PALMA
THE first of a new annual charity fund raising golf tournament tees of this morning in memory of the late British business tycoon and long time Majorcan resident David Wickins.
The inaugural Chummy Run Golf Tournament is to be played at the Santa Ponsa II Golf Club and the legendary British golfer and BBC commentator Peter Allis has been helping David Wickins's widow Karen to organise the event.
Allis, who is also a leading golf course architect, will be giving an after dinner speech at the Wicky Trophy Gala Dinner on Wednesday night.
This morning, the Chummy Run Cup (Stableford Individual Cup) tees off at 10.30am and a welcome cocktail party is also being held at the Wickins's home Sunningdale.
Tomorrow, there will be a shotgun start at 9am and the prize giving ceremony will be held at 7pm at the Santa Ponsa Golf Hotel.
Prizes will also be awarded for a Hole in One, Drive Closest to the Water, The Cliffhanger at the 18th, Shortest Drive at the 13th and there is also a Peter Allis Surprise up for grabs.
A field of at least forty players, all of whom were close friends and associates of the avid golfer David Wickins.
Karen Wickins said that the charity tournament in his honor is what her late husband would have wanted and she hopes that everyone will have a wonderful time. All the money raised over the next few days, there will also be a charity auction, is going to good causes on the island.
Karen said that once the money has been raised then the charities will be selected but she mentioned that a dog shelter in Calvia is still struggling to find the money to build a new roof and that will probably be one of the benefactors from the funds raised over the next two days.
David Wickins, who passed away in January of last year aged 86, was the founder of the British Car Auction group, the world's biggest second-hand car business; he was also the rescuer of the Lotus sports car company, and a long-time friend and business associate of both Denis and Mark Thatcher.
He also loved to mix business and sport tennis, cricket, show jumping and racing as well as golf and was a generous sponsor both of major events and of individual sportsmen such as the young Nick Faldo and the jockey Bob Champion.
When BCA sponsored the Wightman Cup in 1989, the year of Wickins's retirement, the Thatchers opened the doors of 10 Downing Street for a splendid party.
David Wickins also enjoyed racing International One design yachts and, later, motor cruising.
He owned a string of racehorses, which in earlier years he trained himself.
In retirement here in Majorca he bred Great Danes and for many years was the heart and soul of the British community and was a major supporter of Conservatives Abroad and will want everyone taking part in the golf tournament to have as much fun as possible.
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