Arkansan on 'The Bachelor' advances to final 4, securing visit to hometown

Tia Booth
Tia Booth

The Arkansan competing for the heart of Arie Luyendyk Jr. advanced to become one of the final four contestants after Monday night's tear-filled episode of ABC's The Bachelor.

Tia Booth, a 26-year-old physical therapist from Weiner, joined two other bachelorettes on a three-on-one date with Luyendyk in a garden in Tuscany, this week's romantic destination.

Booth, who previously confessed that she was falling in love with the 36-year-old real-estate agent and former racing driver from Scottsdale, Ariz., expressed her concerns about another contestant not being prepared to walk down the aisle.

"I don't like feeling like I'm petty or talking about people, but your heart is on the line here," Booth said of Bekah Martinez, a 22-year-old nanny from Los Angeles who had forged a connection with Luyendyk despite their age gap.

Luyendyk awarded a rose to another bachelorette, 26-year-old taxidermy enthusiast and Santa Clarita, Calif., native Kendall Long, before reluctantly sending Martinez home and assuring Booth another week on the show.

Previews for the next episode show the remaining bachelorettes taking Luyendyk to their hometowns, meaning Booth will introduce her beau to her family in Poinsett County.

That could mean an appearance from Booth's friend, former Bachelor contestant and fashion boutique owner Raven Gates, who lives in Hoxie.

The Bachelor airs Monday nights on ABC.

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