If he plays as he did on Thursday afternoon, he could be delivering a clubhouse victory speech late Saturday afternoon.
Jujnovich’s two-under 142 total was seven shots clear of second qualifier and reigning champion Glenn Solomann (76, 73) of Whitford Park in Auckland on countback from two-time Open winner Mark Smith (75, 74) of Rotorua course Springfield.
Having already “slam-dunked” a wedge for eagle-2 on the last hole of his morning round on the composite course for this tournament, Jujnovich kicked open the aviary door from his eighth hole in the afternoon.
Armed with a putter that could have doubled as a welding iron, he birdied the eighth, 11th, 13th, 14th, 16th and 18th holes – firing a homeward nine of four-under 32, which included a bogey on the 17th.
Jujnovich was the standout of a championship 16 for which the cut-off was 15 shots adrift of his total.
Pātūtahi’s Dwayne Russell, second after an opening 74, staggered to 83 in the afternoon to get the 16th and last spot.
Home-course player Marcel Campbell led with a 73 but followed up with 80 to qualify eighth.
Several former Open champs made the cut – 1995 winner David Solomann (Glenn’s father) was fourth on 150 (76, 74); seven-time victor Waka Donnelly (a former Poverty Bay member now at Napier) was seventh on 153 (76, 77); 2007 champion Tony Akroyd (Poverty Bay) was 10th on 154 (76, 78); three-timer William Brown – former head greenkeeper at Poverty Bay but now in charge at Rotorua Golf Club – was 12th on 155 (78, 77); and two-time winner Peter Kerekere, from Gisborne but working in Western Australia, was 15th on 157 (80, 77).
Reigning Poverty Bay senior men’s club champion Matt Henwood’s 155 (78, 77) earned him the No 12 slot, and the man he beat in the final, Dan Collier, was fifth on 152 (75, 77).
Local teenage leftie Marcus Gray was 13th on 155 (78, 77) and 11th-hour entry and 2020 champ Anaru Reedy was 14th on 157 (81, 76).
Mount Maunganui’s Josh Wilson was sixth qualifier on 153 (77, 76) while Hastings’ Scott Bernie, playing in the tournament for the first time, was ninth on 154 (78, 76) – his day highlighted by a superb second shot into the par-5 18th to a couple of metres of the pin to set up an eagle.
It was a tough day out of the office for many of the rest of the field, who made up the remaining seven 16s.
Tales of woe involving lost balls, hitting wrong balls, bunker disaster and the dreaded shanks were recounted over sorrow-drinking 19th-hole beers.
The last and 112th qualifier totalled 241 (120, 121) – 99 shots behind Jujnovich.
The par-5 16th, as it has regularly over the years, produced all sorts of carnage as players battled bitterly cold and at times wet weather in the morning.
There were 34 rounds over 100, possibly a record for the event.
Family bragging rights were up for grabs as this year’s field features a number of fathers and sons, and brothers.
Local Alex Kirkpatrick finished one stroke behind son Doug (Mount Maunganui) – Alex bemoaning it was the first time Doug had beaten him at the Open.
Tim Mackie (Waipukurau) and brother Neil (Poverty Bay) have duelled over decades at the Open, with Tim sneaking home by two shots this time.
Andy Hayward (Poverty Bay) no doubt took delight in outgunning brother Steve (Tieke) by four strokes.
The best net total of the day was recorded by Pātūtahi 21-handicapper Greg Hawea – 142 – on countback from Poverty Bay’s David Gray off a 16.
The most improved player of qualifying was Flexiclub member Matt Innes, who followed a first-round 104 with 88 – 16 shots better.
Matchplay starts on Friday. Finals are on Saturday afternoon.