He covered Spain's 2010 World Cup victory from Madrid and has broadcast live from Wimbledon, the US Open (both tennis and golf), the Ryder Cup, the Open Championship, the Rugby World Cup, the Tour de France, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and five consecutive Champions League finals.
About 100 events are planned including a concert to open the Ryder Cup and a flotilla to celebrate the Forth Road Bridge's 50th anniversary.
The seven two-tonne basalt stones once belonged to Rathmore Golf Club in Portrush, home course of US Open winner and Ryder Cup hero Graeme McDowell.
The 31-year-old's confidence heading into his second appearance comes not only from his maiden major victory at Pebble Beach, but also his Wales Open win at Ryder Cup venue Celtic Manor two weeks previously.
It was a disappointing day for US Open champion McDowell and ex-Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie.
McDowell has still had a superb year however - winning the US Open and helping Europe regain the Ryder Cup.
The win moves the West-Midlander into the top 10 in Europe's Ryder Cup table and earns him a place at the Open.
BBC: SPORT | Golf | European Tour | Bickerton earns French Open win
The BMW International Open kicks off a series of lucrative events that includes the British Open, the PGA Championship and runs through the Ryder Cup 19-21 September.
McIlroy's European Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose leads the way on five-under-par alongside Irish Open champion Jamie Donaldson.
On the European Tour, Sweden's Christian Nilsson shot a round of 65 to lead the Alstom Open de France after the first round at Le Golf National near Paris -- Ryder Cup host in 2018.
He took further titles at the KLM Open and Dunhill Links Championship and in-between those events played alongside McDowell in the European Ryder Cup team.
McDowell, who won the US Open in June, knew he had to win the match to stop the US from retaining the Ryder Cup.
It was his second tournament win after the Italian Open last year and has boosted his hopes of claiming a place in this year's European Ryder Cup team.
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Woods was three shots off the pace at the World Golf Championships event, tied for fifth with fellow U.S. Ryder Cup star Anthony Kim, their compatriot Ryan Moore, world No. 4 Paul Casey and Hong Kong Open champion Wen-tang Lin.
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