Clutch friction point suddenly drops? 2001 RX

Haven't been on here in a while 
Something happened today that was quite concerning. Ever since buying my MY02 RX a couple of years ago (at 239k kms, now 272k), the clutch friction/engagement point has been REALLY high. I mean, nearly-top-of-the-pedal high then drops straight to the floor, to the point where everyone who drove my car commented on it. I got suggestions of it needing a new master cylinder, someone on the FB group mentioned the pressure plate, etc. It did have a new clutch installed a few thousand kays before I bought it at 239k kms. Thing is, the friction point never gradually dropped over time, as one might expect an aging clutch to do.
Just today I had to make a trip (30 mins each way, equal mix of freeway + 'city' driving). When I reached my destination, I noticed that the clutch pedal was becoming VERY loose up top and the friction point had dropped considerably
it was at the point where i could rest my foot on the clutch pedal and depress it half way without disengaging the clutch - something that would normally result in totally disengaging the clutch!
I also noticed a slight... shiver? not quite a shudder... coming from what felt like the clutch when the car was under load at low revs (ie accelerating up a hill in 2nd from ~1800 rpms).
Any ideas?? Hope I'm not up for too much $$$
PS: as mentioned, after disengaging the clutch, the pedal used go straight to the floor, with something like 4-5cms of dead space. It's almost as if that suddenly got reversed today, 5cm of free space at the top and friction point nearly on the ground

Something happened today that was quite concerning. Ever since buying my MY02 RX a couple of years ago (at 239k kms, now 272k), the clutch friction/engagement point has been REALLY high. I mean, nearly-top-of-the-pedal high then drops straight to the floor, to the point where everyone who drove my car commented on it. I got suggestions of it needing a new master cylinder, someone on the FB group mentioned the pressure plate, etc. It did have a new clutch installed a few thousand kays before I bought it at 239k kms. Thing is, the friction point never gradually dropped over time, as one might expect an aging clutch to do.
Just today I had to make a trip (30 mins each way, equal mix of freeway + 'city' driving). When I reached my destination, I noticed that the clutch pedal was becoming VERY loose up top and the friction point had dropped considerably

I also noticed a slight... shiver? not quite a shudder... coming from what felt like the clutch when the car was under load at low revs (ie accelerating up a hill in 2nd from ~1800 rpms).
Any ideas?? Hope I'm not up for too much $$$

PS: as mentioned, after disengaging the clutch, the pedal used go straight to the floor, with something like 4-5cms of dead space. It's almost as if that suddenly got reversed today, 5cm of free space at the top and friction point nearly on the ground
