5 things: Corey Conners looks to join Arnold Palmer in Valero Texas Open lore; Akshay Bhatia leads after 63

SAN ANTONIO — TPC San Antonio is a visually appealing place, with gentle hills and greenery as far as the eye can see. And while the Greg Norman-designed Oaks course is a stern test of golf, it’s biggest ally in keeping scores low is a howling wind that can often push flags horizontal.

Thursday was one of those days.

With the winds picking up mid-morning, players had trouble going too low in the first round of the 2024 Valero Texas Open, although a few did post impressive numbers. Akshay Bhatia made the turn at 32 en route to jumping atop the leaderboard and Justin Lower had an impressive run that included big putts on the final three holes of the day. A number of big names stayed in contention as Rory McIlroy birdied 18 to finish with a 69 and Collin Morikawa did the same to post a 70. And while Jordan Spieth struggled early, his ace on No. 16 put him back in contention to reach the weekend.

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Here are the five things to know from the opening day if action: