Geoff Ogilvy thinks the US Tour's new play-off points system has lowered the prestige of the exclusive 30-man Tour Championship.
Australian Ogilvy went into the final round at the PGA Tour event here knowing that he was in danger of being squeezed out of the Tour Championship in three weeks - and he did not particularly seem to care.
"If I make the Tour Championship I make it. If I don't, I really don't give an F-*-*-*," the 2006 US Open champion said after the third round at Bellerive.
"I'm not going to lie in bed tonight thinking about what I have to do tomorrow to get in. It's not the Tour Championship it used to be.
"It probably meant more before than it does now, because it was a reward for 40 weeks.
"Now it's a nod to the year and making the cut at (the first two play-off events).
"The four weeks (of play-offs) are as important as the 40 preceding them."
The new points system that Ogilvy is upset with punished players so severely for missing the cut in the first two play-off events that Irishman Padraig Harrington, who has won the past two majors, will not qualify for the Tour Championship.
Ogilvy was speaking after shooting a three-under-par 67 in the third round today, a score that left him nine strokes behind leaders Jim Furyk and Camilo Villegas.
American Furyk carded 66 for a 12-under 198 total, while Colombian Villegas completed 13 holes before bad light halted play.
Villegas was among 23 players unable to finish the round.
Aaron Baddeley was the only Australian in contention, four strokes behind after making birdie at the final two holes for a 67.
Adam Scott all but surrendered a chance to make the Tour Championship when he shot 69 to fall 11 strokes off the pace.
"I'm still a bit off with the swing," Scott said.
"I was looking alright, a couple under through eight (holes), but I parred the last nine holes.
"I just couldn't get it going. I didn't have many chances."
