Golf legend Bruce Devlin arrives

Eight-time PGA Tour champion Bruce Devlin arrived on Saipan for a five-day visit where he would conduct a golf clinic and play in a charity golf tournament Thursday night.

Devlin was greeted upon his arrival at the Saipan International/Francisco C. Ada Airport by Marianas Visitors Authority chairman Dave Sablan, and NMC Foundation board member and close friend John Cox.

The golf great said he is looking forward to participating in the 2nd Annual NMC Foundation Open, where he would be a guest player, and is excited in conducting a golf clinic.

The golf tournament will tee of this morning and will run through Sunday at the Kingfisher Golf Links. Meanwhile, Devlin tutored local and off-island players about the rudiments of the sport at Kingfisher yesterday afternoon.

He also appeared as guest of local radio broadcaster Harry Blalock yesterday morning and was feted to a dinner party at the Dai-Ichi Hotel Saipan Beach later that evening.

Devlin, who appeared taller in person and gamely answered question despite being obviously tired from the long flight, said he has heard a lot about Saipan and regrets he didn’t had a chance to be a part of the 60th Commemoration of the Saipan and Tinian Battles the previous week.

He also said that he would try his best to play with all participants of the NMC Foundation Open during the next two days.

And speaking off the tournament, it is slated to start at exactly 6:30am this morning with players in the Championship Flight teeing off first.

Players from A Flight are next in the rung, followed by B Flight and a smattering of C Flight players. After all six of golfers in the Seniors division get to tee off, it would be the turn of the rest of the players in B division, followed by the remainder of the Championship Flight before the tee off wraps up with players mostly from the C and Ladies Flight.

The NMC Foundation Open hopes to raise funds for the CNMI’s lone tertiary institution. Still it is offering cash prizes for the top performers of the two-day event.

First place, for instance, is guaranteed $400 in cash and a roundtrip ticket, runner-up gets $350, while third place takes home $250. Hole-in-one prizes up for grabs include a 2005 Mitsubshi Outlander, a 2005 Nissan Altima, and a 2004 Toyota Rav4.

The golf tourney concludes with an awards banquet tomorrow night at the Hyatt Regency Saipan.

Organizers said those not yet registered could still join the event provided they arrive at the golf course no later than 7:30am today. Price for entry is still $175.