Old coach, old form for Donald; caddie turns into hobbit; Manassero mentoring already

 Familiar form

Former Race to Dubai champion Luke Donald looked as comfortable as ever on Friday, attacking flags and making eight birdies in a 6-under 66, an improvement of eight shots over his opening round at Jumeirah Golf Estates. After changing coaches last year in an attempt to play better under duress in majors, he reunited with his old swing guru, Pat Goss, a few weeks ago and the results in the second round were reminiscent of his peak period of 2011/12, when he was world No 1. He said Goss “knows how to get the most out of me, mentally and physically, and when to say the right thing.” The two have nearly two decades of history; Goss was Donald’s college coach in the US.

 Feeding frenzy

Clearly, something was amiss. American rookie Brooks Koepka won last weekend in Turkey, then shot the highest opening round in Dubai on Thursday, going from first to worst. As it turns out, the stomach bug he contracted after his win in Antalya was still dogging him. He came back strong on Friday with a 68 that included five birdies on the back nine. “I felt fine, it was just a lack of energy,” he said of his slow start to the week. “I was finally able to eat lunch and dinner, which helped. At times it felt like the club was swinging me.” Koepka, 24, has played 20 of the past 28 weeks and still has one more 2014 start remaining, in South Africa. He has dropped 2.7 kilograms this week.

 Honour roll

Players are not the only ones wrapping up seasonal bonuses and awards during the European Tour’s four-week Final Series. Two weeks ago in China, Scotland’s Craig Connelly was named the tour’s caddie of the year at an awards banquet where any degree of seriousness is an accident. Connelly, not the tallest of guys, was lampooned in a doctored series of photographs from Lord of the Rings, alongside boss Martin Kaymer, who won the US Open and Players Championship this year. “I was the hobbit,” Connelly said. “I was the good-looking, fit one,” Kaymer chimed in.

 Short game

Ireland’s Shane Lowry, a co-leader after the first round, has an endorsement deal with Dubai’s Bonnington Hotel, as well as the establishment’s Irish pub, McGettigan’s. Lowry had an ace on the par-3 13th hole with a 6-iron from 183 yards. … A marketing official with DP World said last year that the company’s sponsorship contract was set to expire after this week’s 2014 event, but in the 2015 European Tour schedule set to be unveiled on Sunday, the company is still listed as the title sponsor going forward. No announcement was made about an extension. … European Tour chief executive George O’Grady is stepping down after four decades with the organisation, but he said it could be up to 12 months before he is replaced.

 Viva Italia

It is not often that Italy’s Matteo Manassero, 21, is viewed as comparatively old. Yet when countryman Renato Paratore claimed his European Tour card last weekend at age 17, Manassero had every reason to feel ancient. Both are products of the hugely successful Italian national team and Manny has known Paratore for four years, serving as a team mentor, despite his own relative youth. Manaserro, already a four-time winner in Europe, described Paratore as a big, physical specimen who hits it a long way. Six Italians will hold cards on the European circuit in 2015.

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