When a playing partner rolls in a putt after putt, a compliment is the usual response. Keith Mitchell’s playing partner, Ben Kohles, took a hilarious dig instead. After carding a bogey-free nine under 62 at the $8 million event, Kohles was asked what it was like playing alongside Mitchell and Michael Kim, and his response was priceless.

Speaking in an interview at the Baycurrent Classic in Japan, Kohles said, “Yeah, it was. It’s always tough to play with Keith. He’s pretty much a pain every time I hang out with him. So, I just try to stay away from him as much as I could. But yeah, Michael was great. It was great, good to feed off Michael, and just a shame to see Keith make so many putts. So, I don’t think I’ll have to play with him tomorrow, which is great. So yeah, that’s it.”

Now, on paper, it might read as a genuine complaint. In reality, it was anything but. Kohles kept a deadpan expression, with both hands on his waist, with only a light, gleaming smile giving the joke away. The “pain” he described was really Mitchell making everything on greens, which is about the nicest dig one pro can throw at another.

For context, the trio was paired for the first two rounds at Yokohama Country Club. Mitchell had opened the round with 66 to Kohles’ 71 on Thursday. On Friday, their roles flipped on the front nine, where Kohles made five birdies and an eagle for a 29, with Mitchell stacking six birdies of his own. On the back nine, it seemingly became a competition to card the lowest round of the day. And well, Kohles’ 62 was already the lowest round of the day before Mitchell carded 65, putting him at 11 under in the field. It tied him with Jacob Bridgeman and two clear shots of Kohles. The third player, Michael Kim, sits at six under for the tournament.

Reasonably, the playful competition has taken a hilarious shape outside the greens too.

Mitchell, for his part, had no complaints about the company. In his own interview, he said,

“You know, watching Ben shoot 29 on the front, I thought I played amazing on the front and lost to him. He played unbelievable. I really thought he was going to shoot 59 or 58. He was playing so good.”

That said, Mitchell has a reason to feel comfortable this week. He has finished inside the top 30 in all three of his starts at this event, including T10 last year. He has said he loves the trip and the energy of the crowd. Now, he is chasing his second PGA Tour win, the first coming at the 2019 Honda Classic.

Kohles, for his part, also got his wish for Saturday. Well, sort of. He jokingly said, “It’s great” not to play with Mitchell tomorrow, and round 3 pairings look the same. Mitchell heads out in the final group with Bridgeman and Max Homa, while Kohles plays one group ahead with Zach Bauchou and Mac Meissner.

Moreover, this week matters a lot to the 36-year-old. Kohles arrived in Yokohama at number four in the FedEx Cup, and only the top 100 keep full PGA Tour status for 2027. Moreover, he was so committed to that route that he skipped the Korn Ferry Tour Championship, the only qualifier to do so. His resume also shows how close he has come without a breakthrough. Kohles has five Korn Ferry Tour wins, the latest coming at BMW Charity Pro-Am in June. But he’s still chasing his first PGA Tour title in his 127th start.

If he keeps going as low as he did this weekend, he could be one causing headaches for other leaders in the field.