"The Tour should use golf’s global success to help itself and its events, not stifle growth."

Dottie Pepper says that the PGA Tour needs to rethink their restrictions on foreign players to help struggling events as the television negotiations near.

America’s superstars, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, seem unwilling to add events. Why not make it easier to put on the best show possible? McIlroy, Westwood and Martin Kaymer are eligible for the season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions but won’t play. I have seen e-mails indicating that Westwood planned to play the season opener but changed his mind because he felt he needed to save starts for later in the year. A new sponsor on Maui is trying to revive a key event, but it’s handcuffed by an outdated rule. And it’s not just the season opener. Other Tour mainstays are in the same spot: Los Angeles, New Orleans, Phoenix, Greensboro and Tampa will also suffer.