KUALA LUMPUR: Justin Thomas is well on his way to retaining the US$7 million (RM29 million) CIMB Classic title after opening a two-stroke lead at the halfway stage on Friday at the TPC Kuala Lumpur.
American Thomas ended the second round with a flawless six-under 66 for a two-day 14-under 130 total, two strokes in front of India's Anirban Lahiri, who blew his chance of a share of the lead after a double-bogey at the last.
Scotland's Russell Knox carded the low round of the week with a nine-birdie 63 to tie American James Hahn (64) and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama (64) on 133.
First round co-leader Derek Fathauer added a 70 to his opening 64 in a tie for sixth with Australian March Leishman on 134.
Keegan Bradley, the 2011 US PGA Championship winner who was also tied for the lead on Thursday, is a further two strokes behind on 136 after stumbling to a 72.
Gavin Greene was the best-placed of the two Malaysians on two-under 142 following a second straight 71 highlighted by two birdies in his last two holes after starting on the back-nine.
But Danny Chia, Malaysia's highest-ranked golfer, slumped to the bottom of the 78-man field with a 78 on Friday for an 11-over 155 total.
Thomas, who teed off from the 10th hole, only had two birdies going out but claimed four more after making the turn.
"I didn't play as well today as I did yesterday," said Thomas, who is halfway to matching his 26-under total last year.
"I drove it better, which was good but I definitely had a couple of iron shots and a couple of wedges that I felt like I should have hit closer, but bogey-free is always good.
"I didn't hit it very good my first seven holes, so I just kind of managed it around at one-under and started playing better from there on in," he said.
Green was pleased with his second round effort after birdies on the seventh and eighth holes salvaged a sub-par round.
"Surprisingly, I played a lot better than yesterday," said Green, who missed the cut at the Safeway Open in California last week in his US PGA Tour debut.
"I hit 17 greens out of 18 greens. And I putted horrendously. I just couldn't get the putts started on line. Just couldn't get it going, and thankfully I was two-under my last three.
"Thankfully a couple putts dropped for me. I was trying hard to stay patient all day. It was tough out there. I stayed patient. I was positive, and you know, thankfully, some putts dropped for me the last couple of holes," he said.