Tiger Woods still leads World Challenge by two

There would be no tournament records for Tiger Woods on Saturday.

One day after his scorching 10-under-par 62, Woods had to settle for par 72 in the face of gusty winds at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks.

But that still was good enough for the third-round lead of the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge, which benefits Woods’ charities.

Woods, who already has won the event a record five times, was 11 under par (205) and held a two-shot lead over Zach Johnson, who also shot 72.

Bubba Watson shot a three-under 69 to climb into contention at seven under, while Matt Kuchar struggled to a four-over 76 and was fourth at four under.

The 18-player field first had to deal with rain in the morning and then swirling winds in the afternoon at Sherwood, a hilly course at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains.

“The wind was all over the place,” Woods said. “It was a tough day.”

That was never more evident than on the 18th hole, where Woods twice was set to hit his approach shot and twice backed off as the wind changed direction.

He finally chose an eight-iron for his approach, and the ball landed about 12 feet from the cup. After Johnson, Woods’ playing partner, made a 20-foot birdie, Woods matched it with his putt.

“It was so difficult to pick a club and be committed to it” with the windy conditions, Woods said.

Woods also had some self-inflicted problems.

On the par-five 13th hole, Woods had a six-foot putt for birdie and three-putted for a bogey. On the par-three 15th, he three-putted again for another bogey.

Johnson struggled through much of the back nine. On the par-three 12th hole, a bunker shot that landed short of the green led to a double bogey.

He had another double bogey on the 15th after hitting his tee shot into a pond surrounded by boulders in front of the green. That dropped him to seven under.

But Johnson, twice a runner-up in this event, rebounded with birdies at the par-five 16th and the finishing hole.

“I had opportunities out there to post a really good number today,” Johnson said, “but I didn’t take myself out of it, certainly, with [birdies at] 16 and 18.”

The left-handed Watson, who won the Masters in 2012, had six birdies and three bogeys on the day, including a bogey at the 18th.

Rory McIlroy had the day’s best round, a four-under 68, but he remained well behind the leaders at two over for the tournament.

james.peltz@latimes.comTwitter: @PeltzLATimes