SSP Chawrasia will take a two-shot lead into the weekend at the Hong Kong Open after England's Matt Fitzpatrick tumbled down the leaderboard on the second day.
Fitzpatrick, who was looking to overcome a disappointing finish to last week's DP World Tour Championship, began the day one shot behind overnight leader Chawrasia but struggled on Friday.
A double bogey on the first set the tone and bogeys on the ninth, 11th and 14th holes contributed to a round of three-over 73, sending him sliding down to a share of 26th place, now eight shots off the lead.
India's Chawrasia continued to set a strong pace with just one blemish -- a bogey on the 14th -- on his scorecard as he went round in 66 to move to nine under for the tournament.
"It's a great round today," Chawrasia said on the European Tour website. "I was 5 under at one time and then three-putted No. 14 but, still, it's a good score 4 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."
Chawrasia sits two shots clear of hard-charging Thomas Aiken, who had the best round of the tournament so far with a bogey-free 64.
"That was a little better, it was a fun round of golf," Aiken said. "Just went out there with the same game plan as yesterday, hit some good-quality shots and really didn't make many mistakes -- that was the key."
The South African has sole possession of second place, two shots clear of a four-man group at 5 under.
England's Tommy Fleetwood carded a 68 to join an eight-way tie for seventh that also includes Welshman Jamie Donaldson, whose round of 69 moved him to 4 under for the tournament.
English trio Justin Rose, Chris Hanson and James Morrison are part of a seven-man group one shot further back.