Bradley, a PGA Tour rookie from Hopkinton High School who won twice on tour this year, including the PGA Championship, shot an even-par 71 to finish at 4 under, a shot ahead of Schwartzel, who tied the course record with a 65.

Schwartzel played the kind of golf that helped him win the Masters, with a run of five birdies on the front nine that put him in a tie at 2 under with Bradley, who dropped shots at Nos. 1, 5, and 6 before a birdie at the seventh halted the slide.

“What he [Schwartzel] did in the middle part of that round was pretty amazing,’’ Bradley said.

Bradley made birdie on Nos. 10 and 17, keeping him a shot ahead of Schwartzel, then holed a 5-footer for par on the 18th hole after Schwartzel’s birdie putt to tie slid by.

US Open winner Rory McIlroy, the joint first-round leader, stumbled to a 75, four shots behind Bradley. Darren Clarke, the British Open champion, closed with a 74 and finished at 9 over.

PGA - It’s a relaxing week at the Children’s Miracle Network Classic in Orlando, Fla., but not for everyone. James Driscoll of Boston is No. 125 on the PGA Tour money list, giving him one more chance at the tour’s season-ending event to remain in the top 125 and keep his card.

There will be plenty of focus on Driscoll and those jockeying to stay in or get in the top 125. But the top of the money list brings its own intrigue. Webb Simpson and Luke Donald, who are No. 1 and No. 2, are trying to win the money title, which would also make them heavy favorites to win player of the year.

“I’m here to win the money title, and I’m probably going to need to win to do that,’’ said Donald, who is $363,029 behind Simpson. “Third place isn’t going to get it done.’’

A year ago, Simpson was No. 207 in the world and had just secured his PGA Tour card. Now he is golf’s only $6 million man, a two-time winner who is No. 12 in the world.