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 The 51-year-old Spaniard took his two-day total to 11-under in
the $2 million tournament, co-sanctioned by the European and Asian
Tours, ahead of local hope Kiradech Aphibarnrat (67) on 10-under.
Canadian Richard Lee (67), Scott Hend (68) of Australia and Thai
veteran Thongchai Jaidee (66) were a further shot back, tied for the
third spot.
Jimenez, the oldest winner on the European Tour, holed seven birdies
at the Black Mountain Golf Club on Friday with a lone bogey on the
ninth, his final hole.
"I'm very happy," Jimenez said. "I am disappointed to make bogey on
the last but overall I played very solid and made a lot of birdies.
I was hitting shots right at the flags today.
"You need to be in the right places on the greens to put the ball on
the right side of the hole, because the putts are very fast -- I
like it.
"I have the flu and I'm very bunged up and slept terribly last
night, but apart from that I'm fine."
After starting on the 10th hole, 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit
winner Kiradech surged up the leaderboard with an eagle on the
par-five second hole for the second day running.
The big-hitting Thai, who also had six birdies along with three
bogeys during the second round, felt it will be a challenge to keep
up with Jimenez.
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"We've been playing a lot in Europe last year and he's a really
nice guy," Kiradech said of his playing partner during the first two
rounds.
"But it's not easy to beat an old guy like him! He hits the ball
very far and is striking it very well. He's a world-class player in
my eyes."
Overnight leader Michael Hoey of Northern Ireland carded an even-par
round of 72 to slide down the leaderboard to tied sixth, three
strokes behind the leader.
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai,; editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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