Chandigarh, Jan. 26 -- It was billed as a close fight, but in the end Major Rajinder Singh Virk (retd) was elected as president of theChandigarh Golf Club (CGC), defeating Captain Mohanbir Singh (retd) by a decisive margin of 304 votes in an election with a record turnout on a sunny Sunday. Virk polled 775 votes against Singh's 471. Of the club's 1,800 voting members, 1,255 cast their votes, marking the highest voter turnout in the club's six-decade history. Eight votes were declared invalid. Virk, 57, was third-time lucky in his quest for the top job at the region's premier golf institution after two unsuccessful attempts. He had lost the 2023 election by 29 votes and finished second in the club's first triangular contest in 2022. Belonging to the 15 Guards regiment, Virk has served in several operational areas, including Siachen Glacier, Nagaland and Manipur, and has also been Aide-de-Camp to the governor of Tripura. He will succeed outgoing president Ravibir Singh who served for two consecutive terms. Prominent among those who turned up for voting were professional golfer Jeev Milkha Singh, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, PGTI CEO Uttam Singh Mundy, Punjab assembly leader of opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, former CGC president Malvinder Singh and brother of ex-Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh. Virk was supported by a campaign panel comprising Dr SPS Grewal, Sandy Lehal, Gags Aulakh, Alamgir Grewal, Dr Atul Sachdev, Brig TS Mundi, Shona Singh, Munish Arora, Harjit Singh, Dr GS Kochhar and Jassi Toor, which mobilised support ahead of the polls. Meanwhile, counting for elections to the CGC executive committee - for which 22 candidates are in the fray - will be held on Monday from 9 am. Speaking after his triumph, Virk said his immediate focus would be on course upkeep to ensure the best possible golfing conditions through the year. There is a lot of work to be done in the coming months for the betterment of the club, he said. His stated agenda includes barring management committee members from competing in the Chandigarh Golf League or claiming tournament prizes, introducing computerised draws for all tournaments, upgrading facilities for the Ladies Section and strengthening junior golf programmes. Virk, an avid golfer, has his task cut out. As Harmeet Kahlon, an Arjuna awardee golfer, said, "Our course needs to be relaid and golf infrastructure upgraded as per international standards while keeping in mind advancement in golf equipment and swing research."...