Australia's top ranked player Adam Scott started the final day two shots off the lead but ended it four behind McIlroy in a tie for sixth.
While suggestions McIlroy will be as good as Woods, a 14-time major winner and 74 time winner on the US Tour, are very premature, there is no doubt he has started in the right vein.
"I've always had an appreciation for what Tiger did over the years, winning seven, eight, nine times in a season but the more you put yourself in this position and the more you win and the more you pick up trophies, it becomes normal," McIlroy said.
"It feels like this is what you're supposed to do.
"I'm sure that's how he felt when he was on that run and how he still feels.
"I don't think I'm quite there yet, but I'm getting to that stage where I'm thinking, this is what I should be doing. I should be lifting a trophy at the end of the week.
"It's been great. The last five weeks have been incredible, some of the best golf that I've ever played."
For Scott it was another week of solid play, his fifth top 10 of the year from 15 starts and his second top 10 in a row.
He wasn't able to make a run at the lead, but he cemented his place in the season-ending 30-man Tour Championship in Atlanta where he'll have a chance, albeit a slim one, of winning the FedEx Cup and the US$10 million bonus.
"I didn't play very well today," Scott said. "I made a lot of birdies which was nice but I made the bogeys to go with it.
"I wasn't quite on like I have been the last two weeks.
"I am playing really well overall but it's just really hard to beat these guys.
"Rory is playing amazing, Tiger is playing well each week, and all of a sudden a dangerous guy like Lee Westwood is in it, it's just so deep out here."
Scott is adamant the quality of his 2012 play deserves a trophy and remains confident he can get one in his final start.
"Atlanta will be my last chance to win a tournament in the States this year and I really want a win.
"I have done that before in 2006, where I played great all year but didn't win and then won the Tour Championship so I'd like to repeat that."
Fellow Australian John Senden scraped into Atlanta in the 29th spot despite a final six hole collapse that left him tied 56th.
Greg Chalmers produced an impressive six-under 66 in the final round to finish at 10-under par in a tie for 16th but fell short of moving on to his first Tour Championship.
Geoff Ogilvy (-7) and Marc Leishman (+4) also ended their playoff runs.
AAP be/nh
-AAP
