The Queenslander put it all together in the final round at the New Zealand Open yesterday, hitting an eight-under 63 to win by two shots, scoring 21 under.
He won by two shots from fellow Australian Lucas Herbert, bagging $240,000 in prize money.
Kennedy (45) previously won the New Zealand Open in 2011, at Clearwater.
It had taken him nearly 18 hours on Monday to get here from Brisbane and he did not have a practice round but as the tournament went on his form shone through.
He came from third yesterday and was near speechless after the victory yesterday.
"It is hard to put in words the emotion I have gone through in the past three weeks.
‘‘It felt like I had lost two events and then to come back and play here like I did," he said.
"It is going to take a little bit of time, why things happened they way they did. You just never know in this game. I think I was chasing today and that put me in a really good mindset to attack."
Kennedy had been right in the running in both the Queensland Open and the Queensland PGA Championships last month but ended up tied for third in both events.
But he shrugged off that baggage and let his clubs do the talking, feeling his experience on the green was the key.
He did not keep an eye on the scores during the final round, just wanting to concentrate on what he could control and not to react to anything.
It had been a rough ride over the past month.
"I was in the depths of despair after Queensland but to come here was great.
‘‘We get looked after so well and coming back here is such good memories."
He felt at the start of yesterday’s round a score of 21 under would be needed to win.
Kennedy has been playing for 25 years and wanted to go home and spend time with his wife and two daughters, indicating this year was his last on the tour.
Whether the win yesterday would prolong playing or put him nearer retirement was up in the air.
Losing in Queensland in front of his family was gutting but his wife had picked him up and got him off to Queenstown.
Kennedy did not hit a bogey yesterday and landed five birdies on the first seven holes of the back nine.
When Herbert went into the water on the par three 13th hole, taking a double bogey, Kennedy, who was caddied by Dunedin sharebroker Peter Young, was scoring a birdie on the 14th.
That was the three-shot swing which, in the end, was too much for Herbert to overcome.
Kennedy had just six bogeys in four rounds.
A shot behind, Herbert hit his tee shot at the 18th hole into the water, though Kennedy was not watching.
Herbert was not too disappointed with the second placing.
"Obviously, I had the win in Dubai and then to back it up with another top-five finish was really pleasing and realistically I didn’t have my best stuff this week.
‘‘To finish second you’ve got to look at the positives and I sort of can’t slouch too much at that," he said.
Australian Nick Flanagan hit a five-under 66 yesterday to finish third on 17 under.
South Korean youngster Joohyung Kim had been at the front of the field all week but faltered yesterday as the pressure went on.
He recorded a 1-under 70 which was his worst round of the week, finishing fourth on 16-under.
