Luke Donald pulls out of HSBC Champions

World number one Luke Donald has pulled out of next week's WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai to be at his wife's side for the birth of their second child. The Englishman, bidding to become the first player in history to top the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic, had been hoping that the daughter they are expecting would arrive this week. Donald, who had his bags packed and was ready to go, finally conceded on Friday that family had to take precedence over the $7 million event in China and his quest to get into the record books. "It's important for my wife and it's important for me to make sure that I'm around to support her. It's no coincidence that the birth of our first daughter inspired me to some really great golf," he said. "Family does put a lot of things into perspective. My job is very important but the family out-trumps everything," said the 33-year-old in a phone interview from his home in the Chicago suburbs. Donald won the US PGA's season-ending event, the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic, on Sunday to complete the first leg of his quest for the historic double. With five weeks left on the European Tour schedule Donald, who was tied third last year in Shanghai, leads the Race to Dubai by more than 1.3 million euros ($1.8 million) from Rory McIlroy.