Right Place, Right Time
Kelly Kraft
I didn’t grow up thinking I’d be a professional golfer.
I was just a kid in Denton, Texas, playing baseball like all of my other friends. Neither of my parents played golf. But around the age of 12, my best friend and future caddy, Boston Brittain, introduced me to the game.
His dad owned the local driving range and was a PGA pro, so we spent summers working there and hitting balls for free. We’d be out there all day long. That’s how it started.
At first, golf was just something new. But I picked it up quickly. By the time I got to high school, I knew I wanted to see where it could take me.
My high school coach, Trey Peden, played a big role in that. He encouraged me to focus on golf. He believed I could earn a college scholarship.
He was right.
Finding My Fit at SMU
I wasn’t a top-tier junior golfer nationally, but I started to play well enough that some schools took notice. I had interest from places like North Texas and Oklahoma.
But it was SMU that really stood out.
Assistant Coach Tom Harris came to watch me at a tournament and invited me on a visit. I remember driving down with my dad and being blown away by the campus, the people, and the opportunity.
I committed pretty quickly. It felt like the perfect fit.
When I arrived at SMU, I wasn’t thinking too much about the PGA Tour yet. I just wanted to keep improving.
I won a college tournament my sophomore year, and by junior year, I had taken another step forward, winning a couple more times.
The coaches pushed me to be my best—Coach Jay Loar focused on the mental side of the game, while Assistant Coach Mike Dirks played a major role in my development as well, particularly with my short game and chipping.
Even more important than golf, though, was meeting my wife, Tia.
We met during our freshman year—she was on the women’s golf team. We actually met at our first SMU compliance meeting for the golf teams – a real romantic rendezvous. She still denies to this day seeing me there, but I sure remember. The rest is history and we’ve been together ever since. She traveled the world with me every week on tour for over a decade and we now have two beautiful daughters, Clara and Vivian.
Growing Into My Game
2011 was the year everything clicked.
I received All-American honors, and the summer was huge for me. I won the Texas Amateur for a second time, the Trans-Miss Amateur Championship, and rounded it out by winning the U.S. Amateur at Erin Hills.
It’s still hard to describe what that week meant to me.
I was locked in—mentally, physically, emotionally—and I just kept finding ways to win.
That win opened so many doors.
Before I knew it, I was traveling overseas as part of the U.S Walker Cup Team.The time we spent in Scotland was one of the most fun, meaningful experiences I’ve had in golf.
Golfers get used to worrying about our own results—but now, I was playing for my country, my teammates. I didn’t take that lightly.
Those two accomplishments—the Amateur and the Walker Cup—were huge for me. They gave me confidence. They gave me purpose.
And they gave me a real shot at turning this into a career.
When I arrived at SMU, I wasn’t thinking too much about the PGA Tour yet. I just wanted to keep improving. I won a college tournament my sophomore year, and by junior year, I had taken another step forward, winning a couple more times. The coaches pushed me to be my best—Coach Jay Loar focused on the mental side of the game, while Assistant Coach Mike Dirks played a major role in my development as well, particularly with my short game and chipping.
Life on Tour
I turned pro in 2012. It was a big jump.
I had some early success on the Korn Ferry Tour, and eventually earned my PGA Tour card in 2015. I played over a decade on the PGA tour and competed in some of the world’s biggest and best golf tournaments. It really was a dream come true. I loved competing with the best players in the game. They drove me to better myself so I could compete at the highest level. It was definitely an experience of a lifetime.
But in 2025, I decided to step away.
It was time.
I wanted to be more present with my family and embrace the next chapter of life. Golf is an amazing game, but to play it at the highest competitive level, it takes a lot from you. Tia and I had traveled the world together during my playing days, and now we were excited to settle into a new rhythm with our daughters Clara and Vivian.
I also had other interests—especially in investing and business—and I was ready for the next challenge.
I joined a late-stage investment firm called Disruptive, where I get to invest in best-in-class technology companies. It’s a very hot space, and was a perfect move for me after golf. I was already looking at deals through my own finances, so when this opportunity came up to work with one of the best investment groups out there, I jumped on it. It’s a completely different world, and I love it. It still all comes down to hard work. The more you put into it, the more you get out, and I’m good at that.
Lifelong Lessons
Golf gave me everything. It remains, and will always remain, a huge part of my life.
It gave me lifelong friendships—starting with that crew back in Denton who first picked up clubs with me. It gave me the chance to travel the world, play against the best, and grow in ways I never expected.
My parents, Tim and Barbara, supported me through it all. They drove me to tournaments, sacrificed, believed in me, and gave me the space to chase this dream. I wouldn’t be here without them.
The same goes for SMU.
The coaches, the teammates, the memories—those years shaped me more than I ever could’ve imagined. The golf team was like a fraternity, and I’m still close with many of those guys today.
That’s why this Hall of Fame recognition means so much.
Not because of the titles or rankings—but because of everything it represents.
The journey, the people, the moments I’ll never forget.
And no matter where life takes me, SMU golf will always be part of who I am.
The inductees will be recognized at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony on Friday, October 10 in Armstrong Fieldhouse on the SMU Campus. For additional information or for tickets to the SMU Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet, click here.
