On the Fairway: Hyatt Regency Kinabalu Classic
April 2026 · Kota Kinabalu
The Hyatt Regency Kinabalu Classic is not a new event. Running since 1996, it is one of Kota Kinabalu’s longest-standing charity golf tournaments and a fixture in the city’s corporate calendar. JUMPA has been behind the lens for two editions running, delivering photography for the 2025 tournament and returning in 2026 to cover both photo and video.
The 2026 edition brought together golfers, corporate partners and the Hyatt team at Sutera Harbour Golf & Country Club for a full day of Texas Scramble competition followed by an Awards Dinner at Tanjung Ria Kitchen @ Hyatt Kota Kinabalu. Beyond the sport, the tournament carries real purpose. Proceeds from the charity auction and fundraising on the day went toward coral conservation at Pulau Usukan, the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre, Pangolin Aware and other non-profit organisations in Sabah.
The scale:
- A full-day tournament at Sutera Harbour Golf & Country Club, one of Sabah’s premier golf venues, followed by an Awards Dinner. An event with 30 years of history behind it, drawing corporate players and partners from across Sabah’s business community. JUMPA delivered photography in 2025 and full photo and video coverage in 2026.
What we did:
- Full-day event photography across the tournament and Awards Dinner in both 2025 and 2026. In 2026, we expanded the scope to include videography, covering the on-course action, key moments, sponsor interactions and the evening dinner programme. We were briefed upfront on how the assets would be used, so every shot was composed with their website and future promotional materials in mind. That brief shaped everything from framing to lighting choices across the day.
Insider’s take: Golf tournaments have their own rhythm and you have to move with it. Early tee-offs, long stretches on the course, key moments spread across 18 holes and then an entire evening programme after. Knowing when to be where, and making sure the coverage does justice to both the competitive side and the charity story behind it, is what makes this kind of shoot interesting. Two years in and we know this event well.
