Mel Owens admits one finalist was “difficult to get to know” ahead of The Golden Bachelor Finale

The Golden Bachelor, Mel Owens, has acknowledged that between his final two contestants, one proved particularly hard to connect with, as the show heads into its finale.

With just two women remaining — Cindy (60, retired biomedical engineer from Austin) and Peg (62, retired firefighter and bomb tech from Las Vegas) — every moment counts for The Golden Bachelor.

In his interview with Glamour, Owens pointed to the finalist he described as “really a difficult person to get to know.”

“Peg was sort of closed off and really a difficult person to get to know,” he said. “Cindy was more open, as you can see, during the season. I mean, she’s just really not an affectionate person. I just wanted a little more affection from Peg that I just couldn’t get.”

He added: “Cindy’s affectionate and smart. I like Peg because she’s high-energy, but she was really not that affectionate in the beginning,” and reflecting on how the two finalists emerged, he said: “We’re there. And at this point [going into the fantasy suites], we’re still working on stuff.”

The Golden Bachelor: Final two breakdown

The Golden Bachelor’s filming concluded in Antigua, with the finale scheduled for November 12 on ABC.

Viewers are still waiting to see whether Mel gets engaged and which woman he chooses.

When asked directly whether he was engaged, he remained silent.

When asked if he was in love, he said,

“I’m always in love.”

The former NFL linebacker-turned-lawyer said,

“Things have a way of working themselves out. It just does.”

He acknowledged the complexity of his journey, 

“You know, I’m happy with the show. But there’s drama, where it could derail, and things can go off the rails.”

Mel’s comments underscore a contrast between his two finalists.

He described Peg as “high-energy” but lacking in affection early on, while Cindy was “more open, affectionate, and smart.”

That gap in emotional warmth, he noted, created additional complexity as the season moved toward its climax.

He said of his decision-making process:

“Well, I tried to leave it to my gut and my instincts, right? You’ve got to like the person before you love them. Because you can love your crazy uncle, right? But if you don’t like him…. You’ve got to like the guy or the gal, right? So I have to really like you first. And then we can get to the other stages.”

The Golden Bachelor Season 2 faced its own turbulence earlier in production when Owens sparked backlash for remarks about dating women over 60.

Despite that, filming progressed, and the narrative pivoted toward authenticity and emotional clarity.

His candid interview with Glamour offers insight into how his emotional journey played out with Cindy and Peg as the final two contenders.

With just the overnight dates and final rose ceremony to air, viewers of The Golden Bachelor may now watch through a different lens, knowing one finalist posed a more guarded challenge for Owens to overcome.

The finale of The Golden Bachelor airs Wednesday, November 12 (9 p.m. ET/PT) on ABC, followed by the After the Final Rose special.

Until then, audiences await whether Mel will name one of his finalists and whether his feelings of clarity and connection will translate into a lasting commitment.

Stay tuned for more updates.