The son of the late, great Seve Ballesteros will make his debut in a professional tournament when he tees up tomorrow in a Spanish tour event in Barcelona.

Javier Ballesteros, 21 and who plays off a handicap of 0.0, will tee up still as an amateur and bizarrely at the same Sant Cugat course where his illustrious father made his debut as a professional in 1974.

Javier Ballesteros to make his pro tournament debut in Barcelona.

Javier was due to make his professional tournament debut in next fortnight’s European Tour Majorca Open however the tournament was cancelled this year due to lack of sponsorship.

Instead, Javier has been invited by Alps Tour organisers to join the professionals and has been drawn to play alongside double European Tour winner Pablo Larrazabal and fellow Spaniard Txomin Hospital.

Javier had competed in last year’s Castellon Masters Pro-Am and more recently attended the Andalucian Open during a break from his law studies in Madrid and while disappointed not to have been competing in Majorca he is now delighted to be competing this week alongside the pros in Barcelona.

“I was in Barcelona last weekend for the Barcelona Amateur Championship and I asked for an invitation into this week’s event,” he said

“But when I registered for the Peugeot Tour event at Sant Cugat, I didn’t know that my father played his first professional tournament here; now that I know, is double excitement.

“I like to play with golf professionals, with people that play better because I always learn.

“In Madrid I play a lot with Pedro Oriol and is a different training, you give a lot more.

“My goal for this competition is enjoy it, I don’t settle goals when I play a tournament, and mostly being an amateur.

“What I have to do is enjoy and learn. I have no pressure for being Seve’s son at all, I have nothing to demonstrate anybody, just me”.

However the youngest son of one of the game’s greatest ever golfers indicated he will be completing his law studies before harbouring any thoughts of turning professional.

“I have always played golf, I was at thenational team when I was 14 to 16 years old, and the fact of having it at home always made me think about being a golf pro in the future,” he said.

“But I have to finish University before as it is something my parents have always told me to do, especially my father but both of them, and that is my priority.

“I will then see. I have not made an schedule or timing, it doesn’t mean that, when I finish college I will turn pro right away, we will see.”

Larrazábal said:  We will see how he does, the goal is enjoy 36 holes with him, I hope he has a good time. I think they have put too much pressure on such a young guy. If we let him go his way a bit more and without so many comparisons, he will play much better”.

Hospital commented: “I am very excited about playing with Javier tomorrow, and I would love him to play well, hoping everything goes well, turns pro and enjoys it, considering that having all the eyes on him, it is difficult for sons of great players. I remember playing a lot with Gary Nickalus at the European Tour and the pressure was even stronger for the comparison.

“I think he is very intelligent starting with big amateur tournaments and other like the Peugeot. I hope he enjoys his game tomorrow and always, and that he gets good scores”.