This year, Mark and his team – Paul’s Heart and Jake’s Strength, completed their third Longest Day challenge with the ambitious goal of raising $50,000 for Cancer Council WA’s vital work.
Mark and his brother Paul first took on The Longest Day in 2023 in honour of Paul’s son, Jake. Sadly, in 2024 Mark returned to the challenge alone, following Paul’s passing from gall bladder cancer before they could complete their second year together.
Hosting The Longest Day on Rottnest comes with unique challenges, particularly the significant personal costs participants face, including travel, accommodation and logistics, all before any fundraising begins. With a nine-hole course and limited player capacity, Mark expected reaching $50,000 to be a stretch.
What the team achieved instead has been nothing short of extraordinary. Rottnest is currently the highest-fundraising club in Australia for 2025, reaching a remarkable $129,000. It now also holds the record for the highest amount ever raised by a club across the entire history of the campaign, surpassing the previous record of $111,000.
“Our three day event had 35 players complete over 72 holes in just one day. Fifteen of them completed more than that. One went back-to-back 72-hole days. Five did 100 holes in a day and three went back-to-back 100-hole days. Although these were long days, they’re not even close to ‘the longest day’ people face when dealing with cancer,” Mark said.
A highlight of the event was having Xavier Ellis from Triple M attend the Ambrose day. His generous coverage and wrap-up were fantastic, and he’s even put his hand up to take on the full 72 holes next year.
The Longest Day is the perfect opportunity for golfers of all ages and skill levels to hit the course and tee off in support of a cancer free future. If you’re interested in learning more about the challenge and participating next year, click the links below.
Get involved in The Longest Day.
- Read The Longest Day FAQs.
