Born in Wildwood, Florida, Sikes was raised in Jacksonville and attended Andrew Jackson High School. Sikes graduated from Florida with a bachelor"s degree in business administration in 1953, and was later inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great.".
He was influential as the chairman of the tournament players committee in the late 1960s, prior to the formation of the Professional Golf Association Tour. He enrolled the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he played for the Florida Gators" golf team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (National Collegiate Athletic Association) competition from 1951 to 1953. He was recognized as an All-American in 1952—the University of Florida"s first All-American golfer.
Although he later earned a law degree from the university"s College of Law and was known as the "golfing lawyer," he never actually practiced law.
He was the chairman and spokesman of the controversial tournament players" committee prior to the formation of the "Tournament Players Division" in late 1968, which was later renamed the Professional Golf Association Tour. He was also the 54-hole leader at the Professional Golf Association Championship and finished one shot out of the playoff, in a tie for third with Jack Nicklaus.
Due to disputes with the Professional Golf Association of America, the championship was nearly boycotted by the top tournament players. Sikes played on the Ryder Cup team in 1969 at Royal Birkdale.
Sikes later represented caddies on tour in 1970 and was instrumental in helping organize the Senior Professional Golf Association Tour, later renamed the Champions Tour.
Sikes died in Jacksonville at age 58 in late 1987 and was posthumously inducted into the Jacksonville Sports Hall of Fame in 1988. Professional Golf Association Tour wins (6) Senior Professional Golf Association Tour wins (3).
