SSP Chawrasia will take a two-shot lead into the weekend at the UBS Hong Kong Open after carding a second-round 66 in Fanling.
The 39 year old is looking for his first European Tour win away from home soil at Hong Kong Golf Club after claiming victory four times in India.
He entered the day with a one-shot lead and with gusty winds once again making it difficult for the early starters, he was able to extend that to five before slipping back to nine under, with South African Thomas Aiken carding a 64 to cut the gap.
Swedish duo Alexander Björk and Joakim Lagergren, American Julian Suri and Thai Poom Saksansin were then at five under.
Tommy Fleetwood secured the 2017 Race to Dubai title last week in Dubai and he was in touch in the first event of the new season, signing for a 68 to sit in the group at four under.
"It's a great round today," said Chawrasia. "I was five under at one time and then three-putted number 14 but, still, it's a good score four under - I'm happy.
"I'm just following my game. Same thing I'm playing the last two days, exactly the same strategy.
"Obviously I'm under pressure a little bit, pressure is always tough so I can manage, hopefully, the next two days."
Björk and Saksansin had set the clubhouse target in the morning at five under but that was not an improvement on Chawrasia's overnight score and the two-time reigning Hero Indian Open champion soon set about pulling clear.
I'm just following my game. Same thing I'm playing the last two days, exactly the same strategy - SSP Chawrasia
He took advantage of the par five third, put his approach to the seventh to four feet and then landed his tee-shot at the par three next within similar range.
He made another birdie from ten feet on the tenth and when he made it four gains from four this week on the par fives at the 13th, he was into double figures and led by five.
A three-putt on the next brought just a second bogey of the week and left the door slightly ajar for Aiken to make his move.
The three-time European Tour winner started the day four shots off the lead but birdied the first, fourth and eighth to turn in 31 and when he made another gain on the 13th, he was in a share of second.
Back-to-back birdies on the 16th and 17th then got him to seven under and he was within two of Chawrasia.
Saksansin had been the only man to get past Chawrasia in the morning as he recovered from a bogey on the 12th with a birdie on the 16th, a beautiful tee-shot on the second, a lengthy putt on the third and a six-footer on the seventh.
A bogey on the ninth then dropped him back alongside Björk who had birdied the 15th, 17th, second, seventh and tenth, with a bogey on the ninth.
Lagergren got off to a flying start with birdies on the first, third, fourth and seventh but bogeyed the ninth to turn in 31. Back-to-back birdies on the 12th and 13th briefly had him as the nearest challenger but he then bogeyed the 15th.
Suri remained bogey-free for the week and made it six consecutive rounds of 68 or less with birdies on the third, fourth and 16th.
Fleetwood's second consecutive 68 kept him well in the mix five off the lead alongside Thomas Detry, Jamie Donaldson, Dylan Frittelli, Keith Horne, Marcus Kinhult, Wade Ormsby and Micah Lauren Shin.
