Anyone who has played or followed golf at some stage in their life will have no doubt be aware of the legend of the late great Spaniard, Seve Ballesteros.

Seve’s list of professional achievements, including 5 major championship victories and one of the finest Ryder Cup records to date, were the result of a golf game that delighted and inspired in equal measure.

Known for his magical touch around the greens, his superhuman ability to escape from the most difficult of situations and his intoxicating charisma, Seve inspired and lead a European revolution in professional golf which saw the American stranglehold on major championships, namely The Masters, and more notably the Ryder Cup come to an end.

Seve slipping on the famous Green Jacket for the first time in 1980.

Many of the leading lights in the professional game today hail Seve as their inspiration and he is perhaps the most important factor in the European Tour’s rise to prominence. And it is not just the professional game on which Seve had such a profound effect; countless amateurs from all walks of life give Ballesteros credit for sparking their interest and participation in the game of golf and that is a point that should not be easily forgotten.

Marking the first anniversary since Seve Ballesteros lost his battle with brain cancer, celebrities from the world of sport and entertainment have united to launch the first ever ‘Seve Day’ – a European-wide golf tournament set up by YourGolfTravel.com, in partnership with the Seve Ballesteros Foundation and Cancer Research UK.

Celebrities including pro golfer Justin Rose, Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans, former footballer and England manager Kevin Keegan, and Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp, have all committed to support Seve Day which starts on July 1 2012 -  paying tribute to Seve’s first Major title 1979’s Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s.

Royal Lytham & St Anne’s was the scene of Seve’s maiden major championship victory.

In the hope of raising significant funds for the Seve Ballesteros Foundation, who work with Cancer Research UK in the fight against brain cancer, Seve Day hopes to attract thousands of participants from the UK, Ireland and beyond.

Justin Rose said: “Seve has been a hero to me all my life. Seve’s style of play continues to inspire me, and golfers all over the world, but there will never be another Seve.

Watch the Celebrity Promotional Launch of Seve Day.

“Seve Day, in aid of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation gives golfers everywhere the chance to ‘play like Seve’ in his memory, while raising vital funds for brain cancer. I’ll be playing in Seve Day and I encourage golfers everywhere to show their support and play too.”

Qualifiers – the top 72 Stableford points scorers from original entrants – will progress to a star-studded grand final, which will be held at Celtic Manor on their flagship Twenty Ten course in October 2012, just after the Ryder Cup, where they will compete for an amazing array of prizes including a trip to Augusta to watch the Masters and, of course, the Seve Day trophy.

The Twenty Ten Course at Celtic Manor will play host to the Seve Day Grand Final.

Ross Marshall, co-founder of YourGolfTravel.com, said: “Seve Ballesteros was, and still is, such an inspirational figure in European golf. We wanted to create an event that he would have been proud of, a tournament that would capture his very golfing essence; great camaraderie, brilliant shot making, courage under pressure and all round excellence on the golf course. Golfers will have to play the greatest round of their life to make the final, just the way that Seve would have wanted it!”

Ivan Ballesteros, Seve’s nephew and Vice President of the Seve Ballesteros Foundation, said: “We are delighted to announce the launch of Seve Day 2012, which we hope will be a huge success in our aim to raise money for brain cancer research.

“Golfers across Europe will all have their own favourite memories of Seve and this event gives them a chance to remember his brilliance, and support a cause that was very close to his heart.”

About Seve Day

- The entry fee of £25/€30 will go directly to the Seve Ballesteros Foundation in its entirety.

- Entrants are asked to play a round of golf on any course in Europe and register their scores on the Seveday.com website.

- All registered participants will receive benefits worth £250 including golf lessons and complimentary rounds of golf, as well as the chance to win an exclusive prize which includes a trip to the US Masters if they win the grand final.

Augusta National – Home of the Masters where, in 1980, Seve became the first European to don the famous Green Jacket.

Click here for more information about the Seve Ballesteros Foundation. 

About Cancer Research UK

- Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.

- The charity’s groundbreaking work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.  This work is funded entirely by the public.

- Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival rates in the UK double in the last forty years.

- Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.

- Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK’s vision is to beat cancer.

Official Partners of Seve Day:

Direct Golf UK, The Celtic Manor, Q Hotels, MacDonald Hotels, Spabreaks.com, The Shire London, Urban Golf, The Telegraph, Today’s Golfers and Pitch International.

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