Fairways and Feelings

Michael McEwan has spent more than 20 years at the heart of golf media. As Editor at bunkered , Scotland’s biggest golf publication and one of the UK’s leading golf media brands, he has built a career writing about the game, interviewing some of its biggest names, hosting podcasts, and trying to stay sane while having opinions on golf for a living. But this conversation goes far beyond golf. Micha...

Sophia Popov has one of the most remarkable stories in modern golf. In 2020, she won the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Troon as World Number 304. From the outside, it looked like one of golf’s great surprise wins. But as Sophia explains in this episode, the story behind it goes much deeper. In this episode, Sophia opens up about: 🏆 The long road behind her major win. 🏥 The health issues that shaped...

Suzann Pettersen has experienced the absolute pinnacle of professional golf. As a two-time Major Champion, 15-time LPGA Tour winner, nine-time Solheim Cup competitor, and European team captain , she is now shaking up the sports management world with her player agency, VOXA. In this episode, Suzann opens up about: 🤫 The cultural pushback she faced in Norway and how it forced her to change how she...

Paul Cormack has experienced life on both sides of the bag. After a decade grinding as a mini-tour pro , he is now an elite LPGA Tour caddie. He currently carries the bag for Lydia Ko , has previously worked with players like Anna Nordqvist , and was named LPGA Tour Caddie of the Year for 2025. In this episode, Paul opens up about: ⛳ The specific, humbling moment during a US Open qualifier that m...

Join me as I sit down with Rachel Drummond. She’s been just about everywhere in golf, wearing a lot of hats along the way. Former Ladies European Tour pro, coach, broadcaster, and now travelling the world with LIV Golf as their on-the-ground voice. You might know Rachel as sympathetic, articulate, and always smiling. What you hear less often is what life has looked like away from the microphone. T...

Join me as I sit down with Sarah Stirk. One of the most recognisable voices in golf broadcasting, and someone whose career has quietly spanned some of the biggest moments in the sport. You might know Sarah from the microphone. Calm, composed, always in control. What you do not often hear is what life has looked like off camera, especially over the past few years. That is where this conversation go...

Join me as I sit down with Jean van de Velde. A former Ryder Cup player, European Tour winner, and a man whose name is still whispered whenever someone finds water on 18. You probably know the story. Carnoustie, 1999. One of the most talked-about final holes in golf history. But what came after that? And who is Jean actually , when you look under the surface? That’s what I wanted to explore. In th...

In this episode, I sit down with Tadd Fujikawa —a name you might remember from the headlines, but whose story goes far deeper than the spotlight ever showed. At just 15, Tadd qualified for the U.S. Open. At 16, he made the cut at the Sony Open in his home state of Hawaii, becoming one of the youngest players ever to do so. He was a prodigy. A sensation. A walking headline. But what the headlines d...

In this episode, I sit down with Stuart Appleby , a nine-time PGA Tour winner and one of the most quietly resilient figures in golf. Stuart’s career has spanned decades at the top level— multiple Presidents Cups, a top-20 world ranking, and a reputation for grit over glamour . But behind all of that was a man navigating immense personal loss, identity shifts, and the mental weight of staying compe...

This week, I’m joined by Sandra Gal —LPGA winner, Olympian, Solheim Cup player, and one of the most recognisable names in German golf. She’s had an incredible career on paper—but this conversation goes beyond that. Sandra opens up about: 🧠 What reaching her limit taught her about pressure, identity, and stepping back 💬 Why walking away from the game was the hardest—and best—thing she’s done 🧘 H...

This week, I’m joined by Eva Rogers, a teaching professional at Medinah CC. She has been nominated to Golf Digest's “Best Young Teacher,” list multiple times, and is someone who’s coached more junior golfers than most people have had hot dinners. She’s built a reputation as one of the best junior coaches in the world—but this conversation goes way beyond grip pressure and swing planes. We do t...

Join me as I sit down with Marco Penge —DP World Tour player, 2023 Challenge Tour No.1, and a guy who makes golf look way easier than it actually is. From dominating as a junior to earning his place on the DP World Tour, Marco’s rise through the ranks looks effortless on paper. But, as I found out in this chat, there’s a lot more to it than what you see in the headlines. In this conversation, Marc...

Join me as I sit down with Derek Thomas—better known as Monterey Golf Guy—a golf social media creator who has brought a fresh, unfiltered voice to golf content. His sharp, bite-sized takes on the game—whether it’s calling out the ridiculousness of golf culture, breaking down tour drama, or just voicing the frustrations every amateur golfer knows too well—have earned him a loyal following. But behi...

In this episode, I sit down with Christina Kim , a three-time LPGA winner, Solheim Cup legend, and one of the most fearless, unfiltered voices in professional golf. For years, Christina has been known for her bold personality, electric energy, and deep love for the game. But behind the larger-than-life presence, she’s also faced some of the toughest battles an athlete can go through. She opens up...

In episode 2, I sit down with Mike Lorenzo-Vera , a golfer known not just for his talent, but for his honesty about the realities of life on tour. After nearly 20 years on the DP World Tour , multiple top-10 finishes, and a career spent battling at the highest level, Mike made the decision to step away from professional golf last year to focus on his mental health . For six months, he stepped back...

Welcome to the very first episode of Fairways & Feelings! To kick things off, I’m sitting down with Charlie Beljan—a golfer whose life has been as wild as it is inspiring. From winning on the PGA Tour to battling anxiety, depression, and alcoholism, Charlie opens up about the struggles most people never see. In this raw and honest conversation, we talk about everything from his childhood and t...

Welcome to Fairways & Feelings, the podcast where we step off the course and into the lives of the people driving the game of golf. Each episode, host Daniel sits down with someone from the world of golf to talk about the stories we don’t usually hear. Not their scores or stats, but them —what makes them tick, the challenges they’ve faced, and the moments that have shaped them—not just as golf...