It is now or never. Surely it is now or never.

Rory McIlroy will take a lead into the closing round of the Masters for the first time since 2011. That sentence barely does justice to a Saturday of high drama at Augusta National where McIlroy created history then threatened to feature in his own Shakespearean tragedy once more before re-establishing daylight between himself and the field. That sentence barely does justice, either, to what McIlroy is on the verge of. We are now in the position of fearing what on earth the impact will be on him should he not prevail.

The stresses, strains, pressure and pains associated with McIlroy’s quest to win a career grand slam were perfectly obvious on day three in Georgia. Yet by the end of it, McIlroy stood tall. Whisper it, but he looks to have comprehensively conquered what demons this major has tended to throw in his way. Abundantly clear, too, was the scale of support McIlroy has at Augusta. There must be people in the galleries who do not want him to don a Green Jacket, it is just that you cannot hear any of them.

McIlroy’s second successive 66 means that at 12 under par, he has two shots to spare over Bryson DeChambeau. Corey Conners is two further back. An added layer of poetry here is provided by DeChambeau’s presence. It was DeChambeau who broke McIlroy’s heart at the US Open last year. McIlroy will take nothing for granted – and his focus has been so striking this week – but the potential to level that score with DeChambeau cannot be ignored. This has scope to be a Masters conclusion for the ages. In the third day’s final act, DeChambeau holed out from 16 yards and off the 18th green to complete his 69.

Those who insist the Masters only gets under way on the back nine on Sunday have it badly wrong. The scale of sporting drama on Saturday was from the finest of scriptwriters. McIlroy opened with five threes in a row, the first time that had ever been done in a Masters round. He added a sixth for good measure. McIlroy was dominant; at 2.53pm, having chipped in for an eagle from behind the 2nd green, he snatched the tournament lead for the first time in this edition. In a stretch of 13 holes, McIlroy was to go from seven adrift of the lead to the owner of that by two.

McIlroy’s advantage was four as he strode from the 8th tee – 11 played seven under – as DeChambeau bogeyed the 7th. This felt straightforward. Too straightforward.

McIlroy’s dropped shot at the 8th was a ragged one. Conners, his playing partner, produced stunning birdies at the 9th and 10th. McIlroy three putted the latter. His leeway was now just one. The McIlroy of old may have wobbled. The McIlroy of cliche would be influenced by scar tissue. Instead, this version of the 35-year-old birdied the 13th and played a glorious second to the par five 15th. With a 6ft eagle putt converted, McIlroy was a quartet of strokes ahead once again.

DeChambeau ramped up the crowd either side of a tap-in birdie at the 16th. The Californian looked ready to chase McIlroy down the penultimate hole. McIlroy had 10ft for birdie there, his chance missing to the left. The Northern Irishman was fortunate at the last, his drive cracked right before rebounding onto safe ground.

On moving day, Ludvig Åberg’s trajectory felt notable. The Swede is six under after a 69. Åberg had the opportunity to put further pressure on those above him at the last but pushed his birdie putt. Should he fall one shot short here, that moment will be a point of reference. Åberg, a Ryder Cup team-mate of McIlroy, knows all about the leader’s strength. “I think when he plays his best golf, it’s hard to catch him,” Åberg said. “I don’t think there’s a lot of guys in this world that can catch him when he plays at his best. You can just tell that he trusts his game so much, that knowing that at any time he can make six birdies in a row.He can hit it as high as anyone and he can stop it on a dime. He knows that and he definitely uses that to his advantage.”

Scottie Scheffler failed to make expected headway, a 72 leaving him at five under. Patrick Reed did, his 69 also moving him to a shot ahead of the world No 1. Discount Reed, a former Masters champion, at your peril. Another past winner, Zach Johnson, lurks at four under after a 66. The Open and US PGA champion Xander Schauffele sits on the same aggregate as Johnson. Jason Day’s 71 nudged him to minus five. Shane Lowry bogeyed the last for an identical position. Tyrrell Hatton’s love-hate relationship with Augusta National is again heading for the divorce courts.

Amid the chaos, Min Woo Lee was handed a one-shot penalty after it was decided he caused his ball to move – and not when hitting a golf shot – on the 13th fairway. Jordan Spieth complained about mud balls, a theme the Masters organisers would probably rather all of us ignore. Augusta National announced a record prize fund for this year’s tournament, meaning $4.2m will be bestowed on the winner. McIlroy stopped caring about the money long ago.

He admitted he barely slept before a Sawgrass playoff in March, JJ Spaun eventually seen off as the Players Championship was claimed. More tossing and turning awaits. But it could be worth it. My goodness, it could be worth it.