The forecast thunderstorms never came, but Ian Poulter did, hurting local favourite Geoff Ogilvy from the very first hole and never letting up, eventually taking the JB Were Australian Masters by three strokes from Marcus Fraser. It's Poulter's maiden win in Australia and only the second time an Englishman has won the Masters.

Blustery conditions confronted overnight leader Ogilvy and playing partner Poulter by the time they teed off; the sky was threatening and the wind was blowing a gale, making some holes particularly difficult to play. Players who had begun earlier had profited from calmer conditions and had posted useful scores, though the gap up to the top-four players suggested few, if any, would be able to catch them. Ultimately, only Fraser managed to come close.

It was Poulter who, despite a few wayward shots, was better able of the leading pair to master the conditions. An expertly played first hole of the day wiped out Ogilvy's overnight two-stroke lead and made sure the Victorian knew he had a game on his hands. Ogilvy, with a par where many had managed a birdie, would have his work cut out.

Long shots were difficult — players all over the course were straying all day — and so it meant that the better putter would end up triumphing. Where Ogilvy was able to master that side of his golf yesterday, today Poulter had a better time, ensuring he was able to go −4 for the day, an extraordinary effort giving the gusting, swirling winds.

Most successful for the day, however, was second-placed New South Welshman Marcus Fraser. Overcoming not only a neck complaint that has troubled him in recent months, but also the tragic death of good mate and V8 racing car driver Jason Richards on Friday, Fraser was able to get some luck in "brutal conditions," and register a 64. His round included an incredible eight birdies. After his round Fraser expressed his "gut wrenching" sorrow and confusion at how Richards could have been taken so young. "It's not fair, as simple as that," Fraser said of his mate. Fellow Australian Adam Crawford was also able to perform well, his −5 was one stroke better than champion Poulter and bested only by Fraser.

World number one Luke Donald had a difficult day. He bogeyed five holes, including four of the last six to give himself a +1 72 for the day and finally tied for 12th position. Where his first-half was strong, going −3, his +4 gave him a day, and perhaps a tournament, he'd rather forget. Robert Allenby, bettering the course by one today, also tied for 12th position at −4.

All the hype overnight had been on local Geoff Ogilvy. The crowds seemed to stay away until he came to practice his drives and putts; then the gallery swelled as their man, a previous professional at the Victoria Golf Club in Cheltenham, took center stage. His golf yesterday was magnificent where, despite bogeying three holes, his −8 was the tournament's standout round. However, the "Ashes battle" as many had billed it, between Ogilvy and Poulter, never managed to eventuate. Poulter's immediate erasure of his overnight deficit could have been the perfect vindication of the hype, but his efforts then to work on building and expanding a lead cruelly ruined any chance of it lasting the day.

Ultimately, Ogilvy's golf couldn't match either Poulter's or his own from the day before. While spectators always tried to remain hopeful that Ogilvy would be able to claw back and stay in the hunt, the truth was that Poulter's golf was just too solid to allow him back in. The Englishman managed to avoid a bogey until the penultimate hole, withstanding nature's windy barrage as well as he could have hoped, and better than any other golfer all day.

The gold jacket, what would have been Ogilvy's first in his backyard, was up for grabs. But the fairy-tale was not to be. After his round a visibly disappointed Ogilvy himself perhaps described the day's play best: "Ian played very well. I didn't play play well." That was, in fact, how it went, much to the regret of a crowd brimming with confidence.