“Golden Bachelor” star Peg Munson is turning lemons into lemonade.
Nearly a year after Mel Owens presented Munson, 63, with a diamond-encrusted commitment ring on the Season 2 finale, the retired firefighter and bomb tech announced in an Oct. 21 Instagram post that she made the “difficult decision” to walk away from the relationship.
“As a lot of you guys know, I went on ‘The Golden Bachelor‘ hoping to find love, and I did. And you know for that, I am grateful,” Munson began. “I did have to make the difficult decision to step away from the relationship and you know, sometimes even when there’s love, it just doesn’t turn out the way that we hoped.”
Mel Owens attends the 2025 Disney Upfront at Javits Center in New York City. / “The Golden Bachelor” Season 2 contestant Peg Munson.
The November finale marked the first time the senior edition of “The Bachelor” franchise did not end with an engagement. Gerry Turner proposed to Theresa Nist during the November 2023 “Golden Bachelor” finale. They were officially married for three months before announcing their divorce in April 2024.
Joan Vassos said yes to Chock Chapple’s proposal in the November 2024 finale of “The Golden Bachelorette.” The couple remains engaged.
Owens, 67, confirmed then that he and Munson had discussed marriage, but said there were no wedding plans “yet.”
Munson is now focusing on herself after a “really difficult” month.
“I’m just focusing on healing my heart and just focusing on myself, my health and just looking forward to the next chapter,” Munson said. “I really do, just really wish Mel the best of luck and I’m very grateful for the experience.”
Munson did not offer additional details on why she decided to end the relationship, and Owens has not publicly commented on the breakup as of publication.
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“Golden Bachelor” Season 2: The franchise’s second “Golden Bachelor” lead, former NFL linebacker Mel Owens, had a bit of an unconventional end to a season that had a controversial start due to podcast remarks that were widely seen as ageist. Though he ended his stint as the lead with the presentation of a ring for retired firefighter and bomb tech Peg Munson, it turned out to not be an engagement ring.
“I have a ring, and this represents a commitment to love. To give us time together to figure out what our future holds,” Owens told Munson in the November 2025 finale.
Munson announced in an Oct. 21, 2026, Instagram post that she’d made the “difficult decision” to walk away from the relationship.
(Provided by John Fleenor, Disney)Mel Owens had ‘crush’ on Peg Munson from the start
Owens was one smitten kitten from the very start. While Owens’ unwillingness to commit to the possibility of marriage may have been an issue for runner-up Cindy Cullers, Munson was more open to building something together, no matter where it led.
“She wanted something that was unrealistic at the time. I was telling her it was going to take time. And I just had a stronger connection with Peg,” Owens said. “I had a crush on Peg from the beginning of the show, and I loved her energy.”
Munson’s arrival at Bachelor Mansion was explosive, as the single carried a glitter bomb to mark her entrance. While the glitter bomb malfunctioned, Owens was instantly charmed.
The pair, who are both divorced and have grown children, “were on the same page” about the lack of future wedding plans during their off-camera time in the Antigua Fantasy Suites.
“The nice thing about being in our golden years and retired is the heavy lifting is done. We get to have his house and my house and all the things we’re scheduled to do,” Munson previously said. “We’re going to have some fun.”
Munson added: “We’re excited, we’re hopeful and we have life to live. This is our last chapter and we’re going to live it to the fullest.”
Owens had previously faced backlash for comments he made about cutting contestants over 60 before the season began. The former NFL linebacker called his participation in the “Golden Bachelor” a life highlight.
“After my kids, I played at the University of Michigan and in the NFL, so I’ve done a lot. And this is in the top three,” Owens said. “And there’s the thing that happened at the very end: I got my girl.”
Contributing: Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Golden Bachelor’ Mel Owens, Peg Munson announce split