Brokeback Mountain creator Ang Lee is now the Oscar favourite, having been honoured by the Directors Guild of America.

The Taiwanese film-maker beat George Clooney for Good Night, and Good Luck, Paul Haggis for Crash, Bennett Miller for Capote and Steven Spielberg for Munich.

Winners of the director's honour have gone on to win the Oscar in 51 of the past 57 years – although in 2001 Lee became one of the 6 who missed out. He won the DGA Award for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but the Academy Award went to Steven Soderbergh's Traffic.

Lee appreciated the prize as it was voted for by fellow directors. "This is like winning at home," he commented. "This is professional approval."

Clint Eastwood, who won a DGA and Oscar for Million Dollar Baby last year, was presented with a lifetime achievement award at the guild's ceremony on Saturday.