Leona Maguire enjoyed a strong second round to move to within five shots of the lead at the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore.
The Cavan had opened with a level par 72 on Thursday that had left her six shots off the lead.
But Maguire was able to better that score significantly in round two as she made her way around the Sentosa Golf Club in a four-under 68.
That bogey-free effort lifts the three-time Olympian into a tie for 19th at the halfway point.
At the top of the leaderboard, Auston Kim maintained a narrow lead over three seasoned competitors with a three-under 69.
LEADERBOARD
Kim carded five birdies and a double-bogey at the par-5 16th hole to move to nine under, one shot ahead of major champions Minjee Lee of Australia (64) and Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn (67), and three-time LPGA Tour winner Haeran Ryu of South Korea (68).
Lurking two shots back at seven under in the no-cut event are Australia’s Hannah Green (66), Denmark’s Nanna Koerstz Madsen (68), Sweden’s Linn Grant (69) and England’s Mimi Rhodes (69).
Kim, an LPGA Tour member since 2024, has been knocking on the door of her first tour win. The American has eight finishes in the top 10 and was the runner-up at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship last season.
Jutanugarn had six birdies, including three straight from holes five to seven, as well as one bogey.
Angel Yin matched Lee for the low round of the day with a 64 to move into a tie for ninth at six under.
Defending champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand (72) remained at two under after posting four birdies and four bogeys.
World number one Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand is tied for 33rd at one under after a round of 70.
Additional reporting: Reuters