Miñoza, seeking what could be his best finish in the year, pooled a 36-hole aggregate of 138, counting his fiery 68 Thursday that put him in joint fifth, just three strokes off Imai, who shot a 65 for the second straight day.
But the ace Filipino shotmaker, who missed the cut eight times in 21 events he had competed in this year with a best ninth place finish in the Sun Chlorella Classic in Hokkaido last August, could only churn out a 34-36 card in the second round, needing to birdie the par-5 18th to remain in the top 10.
However, Imai’s fiery stint drove a wedge between the leader and his pursuers as unfancied Japanese, gunning for his first title on the tour, built a four-shot lead over Jyoti Randhawa of India with an eagle-aided seven-under card for a 14-under 130 total. Randhawa fired a 66 for a 134 while another Japanese Mamoru Osanai shot an eagle-spiked 66 to be at 131.
Like in the first round, Miñoza opened with a birdie on the par-4 No. 1 but gave back the stroke right on the next after missing the green before birdying two of the next seven holes. He three-putted No. 10, rescued a par from the bunker on the next before holing out with a birdie.