PGA Tour star Tony Finau ain't too proud to admit it -- he misses some of his golfing pals who defected to LIV ... telling TMZ Sports he hasn't been able to see his buddies in a long time due to the creation of the new league.
Finau told us he used to be super close with guys like Carlos Ortiz, Abraham Ancer and Brooks Koepka ... but when they all left the Tour, it put a serious strain on their friendships.
"Man," he said out in Arizona this week, "I haven't seen them in literally like a year."
He added that it all sucks.
Of course, Finau's had his opportunities to head over to LIV and join his bros ... but he's been against it.
The 33-year-old has said in the past he'd rather stay on the Tour and compete there for glory ... as opposed to chasing money in the Saudi-backed LIV.
So far, the choice to remain a PGA Tour golfer has gone pretty well for the guy -- he won three times in 2022 -- even if it's a little more lonely out on the course.