Scott fired a four-under-par 68 at Castle Pines Golf Club to trail only resurgent Bradley and Japanese superstar Hideki Matsuyama after the suspended first round.
Scott reeled off four birdies in a five-hole burst to start the back nine to significantly improve his position in the season-long points standings.
Only the top 30 will advance to the showpiece Tour Championship at Atlanta, where the winner will pocket a monster cheque for $US18 million ($A26.85 million).
After starting the week in 41st position, Scott has jumped to 22nd in the projections, to be three decent rounds away from qualifying for the East Lake season finale.
The 44-year-old already has the distinction of being the only player to reach the FedEx Cup playoffs every season since its inception in 2007, but craves more.
“There is still lots for me to accomplish and it’d be a feather in the cap for all the 40-pluses to make it to East Lake these days, because it’s certainly getting harder and harder for us,” said the veteran world No.31.
Aussie Jason Day posted a horror first-round 78 to be equal last in the 50-man field. (PHOTO: Getty Images)
“I feel like my game’s really taking shape the last couple of months. I have been a winner on the PGA Tour and I believe I can still be a winner on the PGA Tour and that’s my focus for this week.
“I expect more out of myself, but I’m at an interesting point in my career.
“I am balancing and juggling a lot of things just at the golf course, let alone the rest of my life.
“The game’s moving fast and that’s a different thing for someone from my generation, I believe. And trying to get everything in line and stay competitive has been the biggest challenge.
“I still believe I have the game in me to be in that elite group of players on the PGA Tour and I still think I’ve got some wins in me out here.”
Fellow Australian Cam Davis will rue dropping three shots in the last four holes in his even-par round of 72.
Davis needs a top-five finish to make it to the Tour Championship, but is tied for 22nd after the opening round and still languishing well outside the top-30 cut-off in 48th spot in the FedEx Cup standings.
Jason Day posted a horror first-round 78 to be equal last in the 50-man field and now 35th overall on the points list, after starting inside the East Lake cut-off mark at 25th.
Bradley, the newly appointed US Ryder Cup captain, only scraped into this week’s field as the 50th and final qualifier but rocketed up to fourth in the provisional standings after establishing a one-shot lead over Matsuyama with a six-under 66 start.
The winner of last week’s St Jude Classic, the opening playoff tournament, Matsuyama was five under through 17 holes when dangerous weather forced the stoppage.
Korean Sungjae Im and Swede Alex Noren share third with Scott at four under.