5 Golfers Who Will Face Make-or-Break Years in 2013

John Daly and his game have gotten off the track.
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At first glance, it would appear there are plenty of opportunities for the great young golfers of the world to earn their way onto the PGA Tour.

But the bottom line to it all is, if you're going to play on the greatest golf tour in the world, you're going to have to play well. And even once a player gets there, it might even be more difficult to stay.

Here's a list of five guys who will face big seasons in 2013 in terms of where they'll be playing golf.

John Daly Isn't the Crowd Pleaser He Once Was

John Daly has become more of a sideshow than an attraction.
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John Daly’s career in professional golf has included domination, abomination and humiliation.

The man who made it cool to rip it and grip it in the early 1990s, won a PGA Championship and an Open Championship and had the look of a guy who could make the world of golf his own.

But off-field distractions, including marriages, alcohol and gambling, sapped the game from him, and Daly finds himself in a tough spot going into 2013.

He has virtually no playing status on any tour, and the once-plentiful sponsors’ exemptions have slowed to a trickle.

Last week, he shot an opening-round 63 and followed it with an 86. Daly, at 137th on the money list, needs to make something in the neighborhood of $200,000 to get full playing status for next year.

Danny Lee Has Found the Going Tough on the Pro Level

Danny Lee hasn't produced to the degree expected of him.
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Since he won the 2008 U.S. Amateur, Danny Lee's road to stardom that once seemed so brightly lit has become a curvy, two-lane back road.

His amazing length has not proven to be nearly the asset it was expected to be. Lee has played events on both the PGA and Web.com Tours, but hasn’t produced much on either.

He’s 169th on the money list and obviously needs to play lights out the last three weeks and hope.

If he happens to make the top 125, his game needs to take a make step up to even keep his card in 2013.

D.J. Trahan Needs to Kick-Start His Career

D.J. Trahan has been stuck in neutral basically.
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D.J.Trahan was the 2000 Public Links Championship and was a member of Clemson’s NCAA Championship team in 2003.

He brought big-time credentials with him when he turned pro not long after that NCAA title. But since he won the 2008 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, there’s not been much to speak of.

He’s 31 years old, ranked 332nd in the World Golf Rankings and 148th on the money list.

Getting his playing card for 2013 will be tough task for a guy who has not seen the high side of mediocre in quite a while.

Arjun Atwal Hopes Strong Second Half Bodes Well for 2013

Arjun Atwal hasn't been able to find consistency.
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Since he won the Wyndham Championship in 2010, it’s been tough sledding for Catwalk.

In 2011, he made just 18 of 29 cuts and had one top-10 finish. This season, he missed making the FedEx Cup for the fourth time in five years.

Of his first 13 starts this year, he missed the cut 11 times. To his credit, he came back to make 10 cuts in his last 11 starts.

Sitting at 171st on the money list, Catwalk needs to play very well in the last three events to keep his card.

Stuart Appleby Needs to Rediscover the Magic of 2010

Stuart Appleby was spectacular while shooting 59 in 2010.
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Stuart Appleby, the affable Aussie, is a nine-time winner on the PGA Tour, but since winning the inaugural Greenbrier Classic by shooting 59 in the final round, he’s fallen on hard times.

He missed 10 cuts in 21 events last year, and he did the same thing in 2012.

He’s fallen to 382nd in the World Golf Rankings and was 144th in the latest FedEx Cup rankings.

He’s 162nd on the money list, so his task to even get back to full playing privileges on the PGA Tour is large.