The Golden Bachelor season 2: Who won Mel's final rose in the finale, Peg or Cindy?

The Golden Bachelor season 2, starring Mel Owens, concluded on November 12, 2025, with an explosive finale with Cindy Cullers and Peg Munson. 

The penultimate episode ended on a cliffhanger, as Mel struggled to be more assertive with his emotions, leaving viewers, as well as the women, unsure where he stood in the relationships. 

While Mel ended up visiting the Fantasy Suite with Peg, things did not go so well with Cindy, who was skeptical about Mel’s intentions with marriage and with her. 

The finale picked up from the cliffhanger, continuing the tense conversation between Cindy and Mel. However, it was soon revealed that Cindy volunteered to leave the experiment after realizing that she and Mel were not on the same page regarding their relationship.

With that, Mel was left with Peg, whom he introduced to his family later in the episode. 

After securing his family’s approval, Mel finally chose Peg, giving her the final golden rose. 

The Golden Bachelor season 2 finale: A shocking self-elimination and a promise-ring ending

The finale began with Cindy seeking assurance from Mel, hoping to get some idea of what he wanted from their relationship. 

However, Mel’s consistent hesitation to answer Cindy’s questions made her realize what needed to be done. 

After Mel openly admitted that he was not prepared for a proposal but wanted to let a relationship evolve naturally, Cindy decided to leave the show. 

“That’s a different outcome than I considered. I kind of want my guy to feel like he’s been struck by lightning and can’t live without me. I think you’re great, but I’m not sure I just want to free fall for that long…I’m sorry,” she said. 

While speaking to The Golden Bachelor cameras, Cindy explained that Mel was uninterested in “making any type of commitments for several years.” Enjoying her “golden years,” Cindy was unwilling to put herself on hold. 

Consequently, she decided it would be best to leave, even though it hurt her to do so.

Mel, on the other hand, was equally disappointed with how things turned out, telling host Jesse Palmer that he might have pursued her had she stayed. 

Later in the episode, Mel met with Peg and updated her on Cindy’s self-elimination. The news caught her off guard, as she began wondering why Mel could not commit and if he would do the same to her. 

Nevertheless, she continued on her journey and met with Mel’s sons, Lucas and Andre, along with his college friend, Diane. 

Peg’s meeting with Mel’s family went smoothly, as Lucas said:

“I think you’re like the perfect gal for my dad, the energy, uplifting. I love Peg, she’s very personable, I can talk to her like a friend.”

Despite the positive feedback from Mel’s family, Peg was unsure how the final rose ceremony would turn out. 

In the concluding segment of the finale, Peg walked up to Mel on the beach and told him that he was her “match” and the man she could trust. She further appreciated him for showing her who he was and proving to her that she could love again. 

After reciprocating her feelings, Mel went down on one knee, but instead of proposing, he said:

“I have a ring, and this represents our commitment to love, to give us time to figure out together what our future holds. What do you think?”

Peg replied, “I agree!” and with that, she received the golden rose. She concluded by stating that, although the two of them had their own unique qualities, they were “definitely for each other.”

Stay tuned for more updates.