Leona Maguire eight off the lead at Tournament of Champions halfway stage

Leona Maguire is eight shots off the lead at the halfway stage of the Tournament of Champions in Florida.

The Cavan native carded a second consecutive 72 in Friday's second round to remain on level par in a five-way tie for 23rd at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club.

New Zealand's Lydia Ko turned in a bogey-free, five-under-par 67 to join Japan's Ayaka Furue atop the leaderboard.

Ko and Furue are at eight-under through 36 holes, two shots ahead of Scotland's Gemma Dryburgh and Mexico's Gaby Lopez. Furue held the first-round lead and shot a one-under 71 on Friday.

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The Tournament of Champions is open to players who won an LPGA event over the past two seasons and does not feature a 36-hole cut.

Maguire won the LPGA Drive On Championship two years ago before adding a second victory on tour last June at the Meijer LPGA Classic.

Ko, a former world No 1, is in the field on the strength of three victories in 2022, but she is aiming to rebound after not winning on tour in 2023.

On Friday, Ko had three birdies and an eagle at the par-five ninth hole. She hit a three-wood into the ninth green and had around nine feet for eagle.

Meanwhile, Furue took her first bogey of the tournament at the par-three fourth and finished a quiet round with two birdies on the back nine. Dryburgh posted a four-under 68 and Lopez shot a one-under 71.

Alexa Pano and Canadian Brooke Henderson each shot 70 and are tied for fifth at five-under. Pano, 19, broke through last August with her first career victory at the ISPS Handa World Invitational.

"I turned pro for a reason, that I belonged out here and wanted to be out here," Pano said.

"But it's just really proving that you belong out here I think can be tough. There is so many great players out here. You