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By John Maginnes
PGATOUR.com Contributor

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Successful comebacks in team sports are rare. Veterans who fall off form either due to age, attrition or injury tend to be replaced with younger prospects. It happens on the PGA TOUR, as well. When young players like Brandt Snedeker make runs at PGA TOUR glory, they bump players who may have been exempt off the TOUR.

After struggling mightily, Steve Stricker is back where he was years ago -- at the top of his game. (WireImage)

Every player knows this. Every TOUR veteran was once a budding rookie who replaced someone else. However, being down in golf does not mean that your career is over. Just ask Steve Stricker, who disappeared from leaderboards several years ago. Shortly thereafter, he disappeared from fields. He emerged from obscurity, though, at the Shell Houston Open in 2006 where he finished second. His career resurrection seems complete now as he is in 11th place in FedExCup standings with one week left before the PGA TOUR Playoffs begin.

Many other great players who have fallen off form were unable to rekindle the magic that brought them to the top of the sport. Some of us never had a rabbit in our hats to pull out, but that is another story.

One of the many things that make professional golf unique is the ability of players to come back after losing their cards. Believe it or not, most of the players on the PGA TOUR have lost their cards at some point during their careers. There are several ways for a player to return to the PGA TOUR. The annual qualifying tournament has given second -- and third -- chances to many journeymen. The Nationwide Tour presents another opportunity to earn a return trip.

This week players like Greg Kraft, Todd Fischer and Brent Geiberger aren't thinking about q-school or the Nationwide Tour, though. Geiberger lost his exemption last year when he finished 133rd on the PGA TOUR money list and is playing in his 12th tournament of 2007. The two-time TOUR winner has struggled recently with just two top-10 finishes since his victory here in Greensboro three years ago. He currently sits 221st on the money list. Thanks to a pair of 68s, Brent is in good position going into the weekend for his best finish of the year.

Greg Kraft, who doesn't own an official PGA TOUR title, is playing out of the Veteran Member category for non-winners who have made at least 150 cuts. Over the last five years, Krafty has battled illness and weight loss from that fungal infection. After his second-round 67, he said that, physically, he feels as good as ever. He credited his improved play to hard work and a partnership with Jim Suttie, the long-time instructor at Cog Hill, which will host the BMW Championship, the third stop in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, in three weeks. Kraft opened the Wyndham Championship with rounds of 66 and 67.

Sitting 197th in the FedExCup standings, Greg will need at least a top-five finish to move into the top 144 who advance to The Barclays next week.

Todd Fischer will not be at The Barclays even if he wins this week. After maintaining his exempt status on the PGA TOUR for his first three years, Todd finished 163rd on the money list in 2006. He is exempt on the Nationwide Tour but has no status on the PGA TOUR. As a non-member he is unable to earn FedExCup points. He is in the field this week by virtue of a top-10 finish in the Reno-Tahoe Open in his hometown two weeks ago.

Second and third chances seem to abound on the PGA TOUR. Someone this weekend is going to make a big move, not only in the FedExCup standings but in his career. While some rookies are looking to make headlines for the first time, these veterans are trying to regain what they feel is rightfully theirs. The PGA TOUR recognizes a come back player of the year every year. This year, the race for that honor seems wide-open.

Paul Goydos is probably the frontrunner right now with his victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He came back from several sinus surgeries and a hip problem to win for the first time in over 10 years. However, there are guys playing in Greensboro this weekend who are in position to give him a run for his money.