Professional golf has no disabled list. It has no injured reserve.

There is one way and one way only for pros to make money. It’s the old fashioned way. They earn it.

Don’t play? There’s no pay.

Brandt Snedeker, a professional now for almost three seasons, understands the harsh reality of his chosen profession better than most. An injury has forced Snedeker, 25, to the sidelines for the second consecutive year when it appeared he was on the cusp of attaining every Nationwide Tour player’s ultimate goal: playing privileges on the PGA TOUR.

In 2005, a cracked rib derailed his golden opportunity. It’s a broken clavicle in 2006.

Last season Snedeker missed seven crucial weeks beginning in mid-July, came back pressing to make up for lost time and limped to the finish line, eventually finishing 45th on the money list.

As luck would have it, history repeated in early August after Snedeker missed the cut by a shot in the Cox Classic Presented by Chevrolet. He tripped over a root and fell awkwardly while running to his car to retrieve a pair of shoes. He rolled on his right shoulder.

“I attribute the injury to klutziness,’’ Snedeker said.

If experience is the best teacher, Snedeker is learning the hard way. Yet he possesses a surprisingly upbeat attitude for someone going through day after day of rehab and exercise rather than golf’s daily grind.

“I’m taking the philosophical approach that everything happens for a reason,’’ said Snedeker, who already is far enough along in recovery to be putting and expects to begin chipping this week. “There isn’t anything I can do about it now but get better and get back out there. I’m lucky that I didn’t do any damage to my muscles, rotator cuff or labrum.’’

The bad news is Snedeker, a former All-American at Vanderbilt University, was playing the best golf life. He bankrolled $164,530 in a torrid five-week stretch that saw him claim his first professional victory at the Scholarship America Showdown at Somerby (ironically the same place he was forced off the Tour in 2005 because of his cracked rib) and lose a playoff in Chattanooga after he eagled the 72nd hole to force extra holes.

The good news is Snedeker built up a comfortable cushion on the money list with his splendid run. He rocketed to as high as sixth and was 11th with $187,522 after missing the cut at Cox.

It’s three weeks later now and while there has been drastic change above and below him on the all-important money ladder, Snedeker has dropped just one rung to 12th. He was a little more than $32,000 removed from 20th position -- the last on the final list to earn PGA TOUR privileges in 2007 -- when he was injured and a little more than $26,000 from it now. The fact that he hasn’t lost a lot of ground surely has led to his peace of mind. What’s more, he understands there is little he can do about his plight, other than play well when he returns, perhaps as early as Albertsons Boise Open Presented by First Health in three weeks and almost certainly for the Oregon Classic Presented by Kendall Automotive the following week.

“You know I haven’t really checked the money list other than to see how some friends are doing,’’ he said. “I know I will have at least four or five weeks to go out there and take care of business. My whole focus is to stay in shape and not push to come back too quickly.

“But I’m pumped up and excited to get back out there. When you think about it, I’ll be come out there fresh and excited. I might be the only guy who feels that way at that time.’’

The best thing to come out his experience in 2005 was the fact that his play at the end of the season caused Snedeker to do some soul searching.

“It made me re-evaluate my game,’’ said Snedeker, who consequently added Todd Anderson to his teaching team that also included Virgil Herring.

Struggling early, Snedeker was buried in the 93rd spot on the money list after 13 events. That’s when he decided to get out of his own way.

“I decided I would stop trying to shoot 62 every round,’’ he said. “I figured that would take a lot of bogeys out of the equation.’’

The keep-it-simple approach worked like a charm -- at least until he got into his own way trying to fetch his shoes and hurt himself for the second year in a row. But he wasn’t the only Snedeker experiencing physical maladies. His mom, Cindy, his uncle Dick and sister-in-law Amy all had hospital visits within two days of his accident.

“I thought there was a curse on my family,’’ Snedeker said, laughing now that all are on the road to recovery. “I figured they brought some bad luck on me.

“I guess my injury would have sounded better had I gotten jumped in an alley or something. It was just bad luck, a fluke. But I learned a little from last year. I won’t put too much pressure on myself when I get back out.’’