The SYN packet can contain data, but the spec requires that it not be passed down to the application until the three-way handshake is complete (so a SYN-with-data from a spoofed source address won't elicit a response).

The TCP Fast Open proposal gets around this by using a cookie, so that the first connection requires a normal three-way-handshake, but subsequent connections between the same client and host can use an expedited handshake that eliminates a round trip.