Reuters/Newport, WalesGraeme McDowell’s romance with Celtic Manor was severely tested on Saturday when the world number five lurched to an ugly 81 in the Wales Open third round. McDowell won this event last year before going on to claim the US Open title. He also wrote his name into Ryder Cup folklore here in October by recording the winning point for Europe. The Briton came back down to earth with a thud on Saturday, a calamitous 10-over round leaving him 11 strokes off the lead held by playing partner Alexander Noren of Sweden (71). McDowell’s only consolation was to survive a rules enquiry that would have cost him another two strokes if he had been found guilty. “At least I avoided a two-shot penalty,” a visibly stunned McDowell told reporters after birdying the par-five last. “Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. “It was just the most crazy first seven holes, my head was spinning. After the 11th I completely lost my patience, I was playing like a 22-handicapper. It all kind of broke my heart.” The Northern Irishman’s misery began with a double-bogey six at the first hole after he found two bunkers. He also went into a hazard at the fifth before going out of bounds on the short seventh. Birdies at the eighth and ninth gave McDowell hope of a recovery but then he ran up a quadruple-bogey eight when two chip shots returned to his feet by the 12th green. When he rapped his club on the ground in frustration it might have been construed as improving his lie. But chief referee John Paramor decided his action was merely instinctive and was not meant to gain an advantage. McDowell, whose victory chances at last month’s Players Championship in Florida were ruined by a similarly error-strewn 79, refused to throw in the towel. “I’ll try and shoot a 66 or 67 tomorrow and then go home and lick my wounds,” he said. Noren had to dig deep to take the lead, coming home in three-under after a faltering first nine. A birdie on the last edged him a stroke in front of fellow Swede Peter Hanson (69) and Dane Anders Hansen (66), who was within two inches of an albatross at the 18th.