The Holywood star (22) finished 24th with two-thirds under 69, trailing four shots in Laguna National leaders Marcus Armitage and Matthew Jordan.
The first round was washed away with 13 inches of rainfall and the game was reduced to 54 holes.
But with the rankings of the Big Ryder Cup qualifying, Liv golf star McKebin is determined to move on as he has no chance before he arrives at the Royal Portrait in July.
“I've been doing very well today,” McGibbin said, saying his first three holes went further in the 10th and 11th holes before hitting him in the last seven games of two-two.
“It’s frustrating that I hit a lot, especially the day I was off yesterday and was happy to go out and play some golf, but overall, tomorrow’s round is pretty good.”
Armitage and Jordan shot under 65 with 65 shots, shot by Haotong Li, Jordan Smith, Manuel Elvira, Callum Shinkwin and Adrien Saddier.
Conor Purcell also had the first three holes in the birds, but like McKibbin, he couldn't keep up and signed 73, putting him in No. 83.
McKibbin has performed well since moving to Liv Golf, earning more than €2.36 million from his first four games.
But he hopes to play an open DP world tour in front of his home fans.
“I played a lot of golf about an hour away from me,” McKibbin said, who had been in Singapore for two weeks after leading 25 in Lef Singapore on Sunday.
“So, look forward to getting there. Until then, I already had LIV events to play and then I thought I would look and try to squeeze one or two DP events before that.
“So, hopefully, a lot of golf can be added and ready for it.”
Portrush native Graeme McDowell is another person who wants to open up.
But he faced a difficult task of winning one of three spots in the international series despite being below 65 points in the second round with a 65-point under 65.
Patrick Reed trailed Patrick Reed, who shot 64 under par 64 in Mexico's Carlos Ortiz, who shot 61 in 13-under 13.
Australians Lucas Herbert and Travis Smyth had two strokes in 65, with Zimbabwe Kieran Vincent (65), Spain's Sergio Garcia (66) and Philipino Garcia and Filipino Miguel Tabuena (67) only four shots in the three leading games.
McDowell scored seven shots outside of third place, and after three holes today he played five times in the game before he made eight birdies in his last five holes, including four, ranked 38th in two-thirds.
The 2010 U.S. Open champion is not the only Northern Ireland golfer to shoot 65 on Friday.
Castlerock's Annabel Wilson shot seven birdies at 65 and scored under 65 in Australia's Ford Women's Open, driving to 31 at two times below two.
She was ten shots behind in Mimi Rhodes in England and Sara Kouskova in the Czech Republic.
Rhodes set a record of 62 courses, while Kouskova, 63, let them rush out three courts with 12 strokes in Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley, with ten players in the game.
Elm Park's Anna Foster is the leading player in Ireland, scoring nine for the 19th shot at the age of 67.
Lauren Walsh is in No. 47 after three matches with 73 three times.
