2011 JBWere Masters. Victoria Golf Club. Ian Poulter winner of the masters holds the trophy.

Sweet success: Ian Poulter, winner of the Australian masters with his new trophy. Photo: Sebastian Costanzo

IAN Poulter has a top-20 world ranking to contemplate and a gold jacket to hang in his wardrobe after his comprehensive three-shot win in a dogfight at the Australian Masters at Victoria yesterday.

Englishman Poulter eclipsed Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy in their head-to-head tussle on the final day, carding a brilliant four-under-par 67 to Ogilvy’s 73 in foul conditions and a gale-force wind, reeling in the Australian who had led by two on Saturday night.

It was done by the 17th hole. With Poulter four shots up, Ogilvy hit his tee shot with a driver wide and into a reservoir on the right of the fairway.

Ultimately Ogilvy would be overhauled for second place by fellow-Australian Marcus Fraser, who rattled home with a marvellous 64, making light of the mini-tornado around him.

Poulter, ranked 27th in the world, sized up the gold jacket to go with his famously out-there collection, and ”a great, big turkey”’ for Christmas at home in Florida.

His compatriot Justin Rose, winner of the garish jacket in 2006, had texted him on Saturday night suggesting he might like to add it to his wardrobe. ”It’s a great addition,” Poulter said, perhaps with tongue planted in cheek.

He was the only player in the 120-man field to post four rounds in the 60s and he was solid under pressure yesterday, and in some cases downright brilliant. His eagle at the par-four first hole was a shot across the bow of Ogilvy, who could only scramble par and concede the two-shot lead he had held overnight.

”That definitely was a nice little boost,” he said later. ”As soon as I did get in front, I didn’t let Geoff get back in. When I was out of position slightly … or I kind of rolled a putt a little bit too far past, I always made it coming back. I had him under pressure.

”To see 12-under par posted [by Fraser], I knew what I had to do, and that is to hole putts. I managed to do that.”

Poulter seized the outright lead with a birdie at the par-three seventh, and would not be run down.

He finished at 15-under par with a tap-in for par at the last, and admitted to a love of the cut-and-thrust of the back nine on Sunday. ”I love being in contention. That’s why I play this game of golf. If you are down the field, there is no adrenalin, there is no excitement, there is no real interest.

”That’s why I practise hard, to put myself in this position to enjoy the fact of being under pressure because you find out who you are.”

Ogilvy was never on song, never hit it close enough and did not make enough putts. The Melburnian was disappointed, but looking forward to a five-week break. ”Ian played very well. I didn’t play very well. He had three-under, four-under today? That’s a pretty good score out there in a pretty tough day.”

The Victorian had a year interrupted by injuries interspersed with a near-victory in the US Masters. ”This is kind of how the year has gone, days like today,” said Ogilvy.

Fraser’s 64 was arguably the best round of the week, given the awful conditions. He birdied the last two holes to give himself a slim chance of reaching a play-off until Poulter closed it out.

Corowa’s favourite son has had a rough week, for he is a close friend of the V8 Supercar driver Jason Richards, who died of cancer a few days ago.

”If everyone in this world was like Jase Richards, we would have a pretty wonderful place,” he said.

As for Poulter, he might come back to the Masters in 2012, when it moves to Kingston Heath. ”I don’t know what this goes up against but, yes, I would love to come back and play. The sandbelt courses are fantastic.”