Kelly was born to parents, Phil and Katherine Tilghman. Her parents were accomplished professionals as well. Her mother Katherine made a successful career in media sales, and her father Phil was Mayor of North Myrtle Beach and a businessman. The couple were also pro Shag dancers (her mother is in the dance’s National Hall of Fame), making for a very interesting life in their full house.

Kelly Tilghman is a touring professional and she had worked with The Golf Channel from its start and she held different roles.  In 2007, she started the collaboration with the lead analyst Nick Faldo and they formed a lead broadcast team for most of the programs for all networks of PGA Tour Telecast.

For the original cast, Tilghman also served as co-anchor for the Golf Central, host of the Sprint Post Game and Live telecast. She was also for the Golf Channel original programs which included Academy Live with the Grey Goose 19th Hole. For her role, she also served as an on course reporter for the live tournament team. Since 1992 to 96, she started to play golf at a professional level in Asia, Europe and Australia.  She also served as a pro in touring and teaching.  Kelly got interested in Golf from her parents who had a golf course for more than 22 years. Tilghman received a scholarship so that she could play in golf on a team of women at the University of Duke. She received a Lady Paladin Invitational which Furman University hosted.  She graduated with the Bachelor of the Arts in the Political Science and History.

Tilghman was criticized for making a remark about Tiger Woods in the 2008 PGA Tour Telecast. Nick Faldo joked that younger players have to gang up so that they can win over Tiger Wood and she said that they should lynch him in the back alley. Even though she said that she had no ill intent about saying this, she received a punishment of a suspension for 2 weeks.  A civil rights activist asked that she should be fired but she apologized after 2 days.

Kelly Tilghman was the first female announcer for PGA Tour.  Because of her career, she had to travel in different places.  About marriage or husbands, she has not been married yet. However, some rumors have it that she may be a lesbian. Even if she may have had some boyfriends in the past, she is known to like to hang out with girlfriends more. Without a married life, then there is no way to talk about divorces. She is happy with her single life and she seems happier that way.