McIlroy said it was a way for the players to let Woods know "that we're thinking about him and we're rooting for him".
"Obviously things are looking a little better today than they were on Tuesday, but he's still got aways to go," McIlroy said after finishing in a tie for sixth.
"He's got a huge recovery ahead of him. But I think just for everyone to show their appreciation for what he means to us out here.
"If there was no Tiger Woods, there would be — I just think the Tour and the game of golf in general would be in a worse place. He's meant a lot to us, he still does mean a lot to us and I think that was just a little way to show that."
On the weekend, Woods' team announced he was recovering after a successful second round of surgery. The sports icon was transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles from Harbor UCLA Medical Centre, where he underwent surgery for gruesome leg injuries — including a shattered ankle and two leg fractures — on Tuesday.
"The procedures were successful, and he is now recovering and in good spirits," a brief statement said on Saturday.
"Tiger and his family want to thank you all for the wonderful support and messages they have received over the past few days. We will not have any further updates at this time."
Woods will avoid charges after Sheriff Alex Villanueva said there was no indication he was impaired by alcohol or any other substances at the time of the incident.
"He was lucid, no odour of alcohol, no evidence of any medication, narcotics or anything like that," Villanueva said. "That was not a concern so no field sobriety test and no drug expert needed to respond. This is what it is — an accident.
"We don't contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash."
After the crash, Dr Anish Mahajan, MD, Chief Medical Officer and Interim CEO of Harbor-UCLA Medical Centre, detailed the shocking extent of Woods' injuries and what was necessary to repair them.
"Mr Woods suffered significant orthopaedic injuries to his right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery by orthopaedic trauma specialists at Harbor-UCLA Medical Centre, a level 1 trauma centre," Dr Mahajan said.
"Comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones were stabilised by inserting a rod into the tibia. Additional injuries to the bones of the boot and ankle were stabilised with a combination of screws and pins.
"Trauma to the muscle and soft-tissue of the leg required surgical release of the covering of the muscles to relieve pressure due to swelling."
