Kevin Na figured he just got lucky.
Kenny Harms, Na’s caddie, had different thoughts about why his player’s second shot on the 18th hole at Liberty National didn’t sail out of bounds and wreck his round on Friday.
Na, who stands three shots out of the lead in The Northern Trust in Jersey City after shooting 66 in the second round, looked as if he were about to throw his terrific round into the New York Harbor when he pushed a 5-wood shot so far right the ball hit a retaining wall.
Instead of bouncing off the wall and into oblivion (which 99 of 100 similar shots would), Na’s ball bounced forward and landed safely on the grass to the right of the green, some 30 yards from the hole.
From there, Na chipped onto the green to inside 3 feet and made the par-save putt to preserve a round that has him in contention to win his sixth career tournament.
“That shot on 18 that hit the wall … my brother was watching over that shot,’’ Harms told The Post. “He was pushing that ball to stay inbounds.’’
The 55-year-old Harms, a native of Paramus, N.J., who has been on Na’s bag for 14 years, lost his brother Kurt last week. Kurt dropped dead suddenly while on a walk. Harms said they won’t know the cause of death until the autopsy results come back in six to 12 weeks.
Harms, who didn’t work last week at the Wyndham Championship, said he wasn’t going to work this week, either. But his brother’s 25-year-old son wanted to be here to watch the golf and spend time with aunts and uncles, so Harms decided to carry on.
“I have a family out here [on the PGA Tour] as well, and everyone has been amazing,’’ Harms said. “It’s not easy, I’m not going to lie. I cried for the first five holes this morning.’’
The bond between Harms and Na is a special one. Players on the PGA Tour change caddies about as often as they change gloves and the grips on their clubs. Player-caddie marriages are as transient as those conducted on the Las Vegas strip.
“We’re family,’’ Na told The Post. “He’s been a great caddie on and off the golf course. He’s caddied for my life decisions, my investments, my love life, my children. He was in my wedding, at my bachelor party. When we were single, we went on double dates. It’s like what you do with your best friends.’’
The two met by chance in 2008 at the Canadian Open. Na’s caddie was unable to work because his grandmother was ill and Harms, who was working for Hale Irwin on the Champions Tour at the time, happened to be in town visiting a caddie friend, Steve Hulka, on an off-week.
Na happened to ask Hulka if he knew of any caddies looking for a loop that week. Hulka suggested Harms, and 14 years later the two remain together.
Asked if there was a kismet moment when he knew he and Harms would be a great match, Na smiled and said, “Love at first sight.’’
“I guess I am the boss, but when you have great mutual respect, I don’t really feel like the boss,’’ Na said. “We feel like more of a team.’’
What sets Harms apart from a lot of caddies is his direct, no-nonsense personality, straight from North Jersey.
“He’s straightforward … straight forward,’’ Na said. “He won’t sugarcoat anything. If he sees something he doesn’t like, he’ll tell me, which is good for me. You need a guy who’s going to be honest with you and will always tell you what he thinks, not what you want to hear.’’
As Harms put it: “Our whole thing is to win a golf tournament. If I’m agreeing with him and letting him make mistakes, then I need to go find another profession.’’
Harms, who worked for Irwin, Hubert Green, Raymond Floyd, Gary Player, Lee Trevino, as well as Michelle Wie and Jan Stephenson, called Na “a special human being.’’
“The relationship that we have is really strong,’’ Harms said. “I’m probably going to retire in four years and hopefully I’m still working for him when I do.’’
Chances are it’ll play out that way.