Seemed destined to become a golfer after his father named him after the great Seve Ballesteros. Played his first season on The European Tour International Schedule in 2009 and hung on to his card by his fingertips, finishing 120th in The Race to Dubai, the final exempt spot, after coming joint 17th in the JBWere Masters. A back injury blighted much of 2010 and 2011, so he was back on the Challenge Tour in 2012 and made a fine start, winning the Barclays Kenya Open in his third event. Was steady, if not spectacular, for the rest of the season, until a tied fifth place finish at the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final moved him up to 20th in the Rankings, securing a return to The European Tour. Won his first event at the the Piemonte Open in Turin in May 2008 after carding a course record ten under par 62 in the third round despite being ill. Followed that up with his second victory at the inaugural Ypsilon Golf Challenge by Alex Cejka, where he triumphed after a three-man play-off. Like his close friend Ross Fisher he came through the Wentworth Club scholarship scheme, and was also a member of the Surrey Team which won the English County Championship in 2004 at Worksop.