Woods and wife team up

LONDON - Tiger Woods enjoys having someone to talk to about his golf game. And it's not his caddie.

Woods and his new wife, Elin Nordegren, talk about improving his game, especially after a surprisingly lean year, he told the Times of London.

"Without a doubt it helps having a partner there. We're like a team," said Woods, who hasn't won a major in the last two seasons and lost his No. 1 ranking to Vijay Singh. "We go to tournaments together, it makes you stronger.

"We'll go out, we'll have dinner, we talk about it. What went wrong that day, what went right. We'll develop a game plan usually - 'How can I get better?' - and go about it."

Woods and Nordegren were married on Oct. 5 in Barbados, and he looks forward to starting a family.

"Certainly it'll be more of a distraction early on," he said. "Anyone who's had kids can relate to that - the lack of sleep. But that's something that I'm looking forward to and I know she is the same."

Despite his eight major titles and other achievements, Woods would love to be able to move around and not be recognized.

"I've always wanted anonymity. That has nothing to do with golf, more life in general," he said. "The ideal world: to be able to compete and play and still not be recognized. That would be the greatest thing ever."

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TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks realized that hitting opposing running backs is easier than hitting tennis serves.

Brooks joined celebrities Saturday at the WTA Tour's Hurricane Tennis Slam, which raised $218,000 for the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund.

During a break in the doubles match, Brooks was called onto the court and borrowed Angela Haynes' racket. He hit two serves - including a jump serve - well past the opposing end line.

Haynes offered a couple quick tips, but they didn't help.

"It's not easy," Brooks said.

Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova beat Haynes 6-2, 6-1 in the charity match. Haynes, who reached the third round of the U.S. Open as a wild card, replaced Jennifer Capriati, who is sidelined with a sore right shoulder.

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MADRID, Spain - David Beckham sat out Real Madrid's game with Racing Santander because he hadn't trained well, his coach said.

Beckham was replaced by teenager Javi Garcia on Saturday and watched Madrid's 3-2 win from the bench. Brazilian left back Roberto Carlos also was rested.

"Roberto Carlos and Beckham haven't trained well and I felt they shouldn't play," coach Mariano Garcia Remon told sports daily Marca on Sunday. "I pick the team (based on) work during the week and this was my ideal team."

Beckham, who has struggled to find his form this season, has played in 11 of the team's 16 league games.

Madrid's victory Saturday put it 10 points behind leader FC Barcelona.