LEONA Maguire might be six shots behind Japan’s Hinako Shibuno at halfway, but she believes the best is yet to come as she chases her maiden Major win in the Chevron Championship in California.

The Co Cavan star battled demanding afternoon conditions at Mission Hills Country Club in Palm Springs but carded a bogey-free, three-under 69 to move up to 20th on three-under-par.

Shibuno, who was dubbed the Smiling Cinderella when she claimed the 2019 AIG Women’s Open, matched the low round of the week with a six-under 66.

Scores

She leads by one stroke on nine-under-par from Americans Annie Park (67) and Jennifer Kupcho (70) and defending champion Patty Tavatanakit (69) from Thailand.

With the winner over the last 11 years always coming from the top three at halfway, Maguire has her work cut out.

Nevertheless, having played in the more challenging, late afternoon conditions on Friday and moved up the leaderboard, she hopes to take advantage of an earlier tee time today and close the gap on the leaders.

“I feel like I haven’t fully got it going yet,” Maguire said last night. “I played really nicely today and drove the ball really well and putted a little better today, so I’ll just be trying to give myself a few more chances over the weekend.

“I didn’t putt well at all yesterday. I drove it nicely and gave myself a decent few chances, but I didn’t hole any putts, and I also missed a few short ones, so today was a lot better.”

Scoring was low for the second day running with the entire field separated by just 10 strokes.

Stephanie Meadow made the cut on the one-over-par mark after she added a level par 72 to her opening 73.

“It’s very nice out there,” said Maguire, who made birdie twos at the fifth and eighth and picked up another shot at the par-five 11th. “It’s a proper golf course; it’s a major championship golf course and you have to drive the ball well.

“The greens have definitely firmed up in the afternoon today, so it was a lot harder to get close to the flags, especially on the back nine.”

She almost holed her tee shot at the par-three 17th but ran just through the green and had to settle for par there before her wedge shot to a front pin at the par-five 18th ran to the back of the green.

“Some of the front pins downwind were really hard to stop the ball by,” Maguire added. “So hopefully, I can get out there earlier tomorrow and take advantage because it’s definitely easier in the morning, I would say.

“It’s a little bit calmer, and the greens are more receptive, so it’s nice to have my best round in the afternoon, considering it was probably a little tougher today.”

Maguire will be off nearer the leaders than the back of the field with South Korea’s Amy Yang at 12:21 local time (8:21 pm Irish time).

“I’ll just try to play golf,” she said of her game plan. “Hit fairways and greens and try and hole as many putts as I can.

“I am obviously quite a few back at this stage, but a lot can happen between now and Sunday, so I’ll just try and keep giving myself chances, really.”