“The Open Championship has always been played to find the best golfer in the world, says Peter”. On current form and record alone, Tiger Woods should be left holding the Claret Jug at Carnoustie this July.

“What sets Tiger Woods apart from other top professional golfers is the way he prepares himself to peak in the Majors. He leaves nothing to chance and concentrates on his physical training, mental preparation and the requirements of the particular golf course he is to play. In my generation, if Sam Snead had prepared like Tiger, he would have won eight Open Championships and 10 US Opens.

“The set-up of the golf course for the Open at Carnoustie in 1999 was disastrous. The golf course preparation got out of control, and the result was a negative course that eliminated many of the top players, and we don’t want to see that again.

“I have always said that deep down you must know what you are doing to succeed in golf, and if you know that, then you don’t have fears, only hopes. Tiger knows this and he relishes being in a position to win. That’s why he can approach this year’s Open with confidence."

The courses are Thomson Perrett’s first project in Vietnam and will be built on a sandy peninsula of Tuan Chau island, one of 1,969 tiny islands in Ha Long Bay, known as ‘The Bay of Descending Dragons’ in Vietnamese, and a World Heritage site.

Ross Perrett, principal and lead course designer, said: “Golf is relatively new to Vietnam and until recently the country has had less than 10 courses.”

“Vietnam’s economy is thriving and with a young and dynamic population, golf is set to take off in the same way it has in China, Thailand and Malaysia.”

Vietnam’s population is more than 84 million, with an average age of 25. The country is starting to embrace tourism and development in similar fashion to Thailand, which has 200 golf courses and a population of more than 60 million.

Thomson Perrett will work closely with holistic design company MDM Consultants, on behalf of the Tuan Chau Group, to add the golf courses to an existing tourism infrastructure of hotels and beaches on the island, which is joined to the mainland by a bridge.

The golf courses will enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the Ha Long Bay.

Tuanbo City will be a large, integrated residential, commercial and recreational development including 36-holes of golf built on the site of a low-lying flood plane. The city will have a major sporting focus and has been selected as a venue for the 2013 Asian Games.

Ross Perrett, said: “Tuanbo City will be a community with sport and golf at its very heart, and Thomson Perrett is thrilled to be given the opportunity to further develop the game of golf in the Tianjin region of China.”

Work on the 36-hole complex is set to commence in August. The project will be divided between a private members club and a public access pay and play golf course, both situated around five kilometres from the TP designed golf course at Tianjin Fortune Lake.

Tianjin is a sister city of Melbourne, Australia, and enjoys strong cultural and commercial links. Thomson Perrett’s recently completed Sandhurst golf development in Melbourne will host the inaugural Peter Thomson Corporate Challenge, contested between business leaders from Tianjin and Melbourne, in 2008.

Thomson Perrett’s Tianjin Fortune Lake course has been named as venue for the tournament in 2009.